Going to an amusement park is a summertime thrill for kids. It was fun to have that feeling again a few weeks ago, as Waymo delivered the back to the future experience that Viodi wrote about some 11 years ago. Read more about this summer highlight below, in the Korner.
Thanks to the Broadband Forum, my employer, for supporting this newsletter. The content, views, and opinions expressed herein are not those of the Broadband Forum.
Pebble – A Software-Defined Travel Trailer
Camping is peak summer fun for many people. Following up on last month’s Viodi View, we look at another electrified trailer that promises to eliminate the common hassles associated with camping. Using advanced software-driven technology and a unique hardware platform, the Pebble Flow trailer offers features like an electric drivetrain, remote control parking, and automated leveling with the push of a button.
Real-Time Digital Twin Demo (YouTube Video)
The June issue of the Viodi View briefly explored the idea of using data that already exists from devices in the home to infer things such as early earthquake detection. At the Broadband Forum’s Summer Meeting in Munich, Axiros CEO, Gunther Kessingler, demonstrated how, using TR-369, it is possible to provide on-demand, real-time streaming of motion sensor data to a remote location, process the data, and create a digital twin. As Axiros points out, this capability is valuable to operators wanting to add new value-add services.
Some Chirps and Short Thoughts:
- Following up on his closing comments to the Broadband Forum’s BASe Technical Summit, Jason Walls provides a shoutout and encouragement to the “quiet champions”.
- The idea of generative AI as an extreme compression method was revived by a JSON prompt. Using JSON, instead of natural language, is supposed to provide more consistent results. @IamEmily2025 inspired more experimentation, which can be found here.
- A technique used for deploying underground fiber in cities could soon lead to robotic delivery moles as part of a distributed, faceless grocery store. It will be interesting to see whether Pipedream Labs adds fiber or at least conduits for fiber in their 18-inch tunnels.
The Korner – The 2040 Vision Compared to Today’s Autonomous Vehicle Reality
Eleven years ago, Viodi envisioned a fictional story about shared, electric, and autonomous mobility set in the year 2040. This story was life-changing, as it opened doors to a parallel world of transportation. Instead of just reporting on the ecosystem of bits movement, Viodi broadened its focus to include the movement of people and things. As discussed in previous issues, the parallels between broadband and mobility are many.
Consequently, it was difficult to contain the excitement of a first autonomous vehicle ride a few weeks ago. The experience was relatively close to what was envisioned in 2014. It still has a long way to go before it is affordable. Still, the ride itself was uneventful yet surreal, as the namesake of one of the story’s characters provided colorful commentary for our brief journey.
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