Machine-To-Machine Technology

- The IoT - The Machine-to-Machine Revolution

The explosive growth of the Internet of Things (IoT) is driving demand for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices in areas such as asset-tracking systems, smart grids and building automation. MEMS are tiny machines that can do such things as measure movement or pressure. MEMS devices include accelerometers, pressure sensors, timing components and microphones. 

The Internet of Things is sometimes called the machine-to-machine revolution, and one important class of machines - MEMS - will play an essential role in expansion of the boom of the industrial IoT segment in the coming years. MEMS sensors allow equipment to gather and digitize real-world data that then can be shared on the Internet. 

- MEMS Sensors Are Enabling Smart Devices and IoT Applications

With cost-effective miniaturization becoming a reality, a variety of sensors have been developed based on MEMS technology. These include pressure and vibration sensors, accelerometers and gyroscopes, and radiation and temperature sensors.  

Sensors are being integrated into diverse applications, including industrial vibration monitoring devices, virtual reality gaming devices, airbag deployment, vehicle stability enhancement systems, and personal, vehicle, and aircraft navigation systems. Accelerometers based on MEMS technology are highly sensitive and have fail-safe performance in extremely critical applications such as airbag activation and vehicle stability within the automotive end user, the research firm reports.  

There are 15 sensors based on MEMS that are used in diverse applications within various vertical end-user markets. They include both standalone and single-parameter monitoring to combined sensors monitoring more than one parameter. Accelerometers and pressure sensors are the largest revenue generators for the MEMS sensors market.  

The IoT represents a major new growth opportunity for the MEMS market. Building automation will generate the largest volumes for MEMS and other types of sensors in the industrial IoT market. Asset tracking is the second-largest opportunity for MEMS sensors. Other major segments of the industrial IoT market include the smart grid, smart cities, smart factories, seismic monitoring, and drones and robotics.

- Machine-to-Machine (M2M) Solutions and Services

• AT&T Machine-to-Machine Solutions: Full suite of connected devices and application services to power the Internet of Things (IoT).
• Verizon Machine-to-Machine Solutions: Connected machines are fast becoming the eyes and ears of the enterprise. By adding sensors and networking technologies to your products and equipment, you can find new ways to do more with less and gather powerful insights from machine-to-machine (M2M) applications.

 [More to come ...]