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| Aug Oct |
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Ambient Informatics develops cross-disciplinary approaches to the design and development of next-generation systems that address the complexities and of real-time, real-world information, and effective human interaction. |
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| Wednesday, September 01, 2004 |
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A Vast Web of Tiny Sensors
UCLA's Deborah Estrin discusses how networks of small, smart monitors can change the world and how we understand it
Deborah Estrin has large hopes for some tiny technology. One of the leading researchers in the fast-emerging field of sensor networks, Estrin believes that hundreds, even thousands of tiny wireless sensors working intelligently together to monitor temperature, water, and structural changes in the world around us will not only make companies more productive, but help protect the environment. These networks of tiny machines, now about the size of matchboxes, can extend the Internet to cover conceivably everything that moves, grows, makes noise, or heats up.
[BusinessWeek]
6:47:42 PM
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IEEE Internet Computing: Wireless Grids: Distributed Resource Sharing: Wide ranging review articles on wireless mesh and sensor applications. [Ken Novak: Wireless remote data]
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Delightful article. Wonderful diagram ... now this is the "new convergence".
Way back in the late 80's and early 90's, "Convergence" was the word the NewMedia and Multimedia pundits used to describe the emerging opportunities of integrating digital media, publishing, and distribution that eventually became the Internet as it is today. Today "convergence" is expected, natural - and to a 5 year old that can use a computer, something that has always existed.
Similar trends and patternrs are occurring to describe the new "network of networks".
-Robb
Remember "Content is King!" ;-)
6:38:59 PM
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RFID Middleware-- One Size Does Not Fit All.
 Forrester Research looks to be the first company to compare and rate the main RFID middleware providers, in a research report just out.
Their conclusion? Companies looking for a middleware solution need to do a lot of careful shopping. The providers out there all have very different capabilities and strengths. No single solution fits every situation.
Forrester looked at 13 different providers, ranging from very large enterprise system companies such as Oracle, to specialized RFID providers such as OatSystems. Here are some of the main takeaways from the report:
- The market is extremely early for RFID middleware. As a result, this market space is seeing rapid product development cycles, sometimes as short as 3 months.
- When evaluating RFID middleware, companies should take into account the data integration systems they currently have. With RFID middleware you are not buying a complete packaged solution, but rather, building a software infrastructure. Companies may already have data integration applications that can be used for part of the solution.
- Early adopters and those under a mandate should look at the "RFID pure plays" like Manhattan Associates, that currently have true RFID products with connectivity to RFID readers. The downside is that these companies don't have long proven track records, possibly having just a few pilots under their belts.
- Companies evaluating RFID for the long term should look at the big players, like IBM. Most of the big providers don't have true products on the market today, but instead are filling in gaps in their product offerings with a lot of customized services. While today they may lack pieces/parts (e.g., good connectivity to RFID readers), eventually they will catch up and overtake the early companies because they offer scalable solutions and better data integration capabilities.
If you have the time, download and listen to the Forrester MP3 audio report overview here (about 7 minutes long).
Link to report summary here. [The RFID Weblog]
6:36:16 PM
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