What is Internet of Things?

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/" > <channel> <title>Internet of Things</title> <atom:link href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /> <link>https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot</link> <description>Microsoft Internet of Things Blog</description> <lastBuildDate>Wed, 08 Mar 2017 17:11:19 +0000</lastBuildDate> <language>en-US</language> <sy:updatePeriod>hourly</sy:updatePeriod> <sy:updateFrequency>1</sy:updateFrequency> <generator>https://wordpress.org/?v=4.7.3</generator> <site xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">77982353</site> <item> <title>Stay one step ahead of your customers: Get started with remote monitoring</title> <link>https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/03/08/stay-one-step-ahead-of-your-customers-get-started-with-remote-monitoring/</link> <pubDate>Wed, 08 Mar 2017 17:00:27 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Microsoft IoT]]></dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Microsoft IoT]]></category> <category><![CDATA[capability]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Johnson Controls]]></category> <category><![CDATA[remote monitoring]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Rockwell Automation]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Rolls-Royce]]></category> <category><![CDATA[ThyssenKrupp]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/?p=22275</guid> <description><![CDATA[If your business has looked at remote monitoring in the past, it’s time to look again — integration with the Internet of Things (IoT) technology &#8230; <a href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/03/08/stay-one-step-ahead-of-your-customers-get-started-with-remote-monitoring/" class="read-more">Read more &#187;</a>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>If your business has looked at remote monitoring in the past, it’s time to look again — integration with the <a href="http://www.internetofyourthings.com/">Internet of Things</a> (IoT) technology has changed the way core business processes work. Others are seeing the potential — enterprises are adopting remote monitoring and other IoT applications more and more. IDC found that 31.4 percent of organizations surveyed have launched IoT solutions, with an additional 43 percent looking to deploy in the next 12 months.<a href="#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1">[1]</a> Remote monitoring and IoT technologies have changed the way core business processes are run and are continually delivering value in numerous ways. Although challenges like data privacy, <a href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/microsoftsecure/2016/10/26/securing-the-internet-of-things-introducing-the-security-program-for-azure-iot/">security</a> and implementation costs can seem like valid reasons to avoid this kind of technological change, there are in fact plenty of ways you can <a href="http://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2016/09/08/four-principles-for-maximizing-the-roi-of-iot/">maximize your ROI</a>, <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/cloud-platform/trusted-cloud">protect your data</a> and <a href="http://download.microsoft.com/download/8/C/4/8C4DEF9B-041B-47F3-AD7F-52F391B1D0AB/Securing_your_Internet_of_Things_from_the_ground_up_white_paper_EN_US.pdf">ensure comprehensive security</a> while using IoT.</p> <p>Quickly evolving from a cutting-edge idea to an essential industry standard, remote monitoring has repeatedly proved its worth. Manufacturers big and small are seeing so much value in IoT-enabled remote monitoring that they are heavily investing to reap the rewards of increased efficiency, better utilization and lower costs. As of 2015, 40 percent of serviceable equipment in the field is connected to networks, up from 35 percent in 2013.<a href="#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2">[2]</a> And this upward trend isn’t going to change. As more and more manufacturers realize the benefits of remote monitoring, it’ll cease to be a differentiator and will become a requirement to remain competitive.</p> <p>Your business is looking to improve visibility or explore innovative business models, and remote monitoring sets the foundation for a variety of business benefits. Let’s take a look at a few ways that businesses are implementing remote monitoring and seeing value.</p> <h2>Improve visibility across your business</h2> <p><img class="alignright wp-image-22287" src="https://mscorpmedia.azureedge.net/mscorpmedia/2017/03/rm_02.png" width="400" height="392" />Imagine if your assets had eyes and ears and could talk to you in real time. That’s the power of IoT-driven remote monitoring, which makes it possible to see exactly what is happening with all of your assets, at all times. Remote-monitoring solutions collect, integrate and organize data from sensor-enabled equipment all over the world to gain real-time visibility. What used to be a manual, expensive, time-intensive procedure can now be dynamic, automated and instant. With live data from connected devices, organizations have a constant pulse on status, and can quickly, automatically respond to current conditions.</p> <p>Remote monitoring allows experts to see potential problems without having to travel. Bringing all your performance data together enables you to extend the expertise of the strongest support engineers for a proactive response to potential issues at any location.</p> <p>For example, <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/cloud-platform/customer-stories-rockwell-automation">Rockwell Automation</a>, one of the largest industrial automation companies in the world, helped some of its customers in the petroleum industry change the way they monitored their supply chain and investment in expensive equipment. Because of the company’s global footprint, it was nearly impossible to get a good read on how all their field assets and customer products were operating at a given time. Even if equipment data could point to a potential issue, it took so much time to act on it that problems would often occur anyway. After deploying sensors to connect assets to Microsoft <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/cloud-platform/internet-of-things-azure-iot-suite">Azure IoT Suite</a>, Rockwell was able to see its entire supply chain from end to end, from an oil rig in Alaska to the corner gas station. By capturing real-time information on equipment performance and health factors such as pressure, temperature and flow rates, it was able to gain enhanced visibility across its business. With these new insights, Rockwell could fine-tune processes and deliver proactive and prescriptive guidance to customers about potential issues and failures — drastically reducing costly downtime.</p> <h2>Make targeted improvements to business processes</h2> <p>Remote monitoring starts with reducing monitoring costs and increasing visibility. But that visibility also drives other improvements for your business, like energy usage reduction, improved customer service, predictive maintenance programs and new innovation.</p> <h4>More cost-efficient energy management</h4> <div id="attachment_22290" style="width: 410px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img class="wp-image-22290" src="https://mscorpmedia.azureedge.net/mscorpmedia/2017/03/rm_03.png" width="400" height="185" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Discover more about how customers have taken advantage of the remote-monitoring capabilities of Azure IoT Suite <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/cloud-platform/internet-of-things-azure-iot-suite">here</a>.</p></div> <p>To effectively manage energy usage and costs, you need insight into your power and energy systems. Being able to monitor and manage energy usage without being onsite enables your teams to optimize energy load balancing and prevent outages, thereby keeping costs down. By transforming data into actionable insight, you can proactively address potential issues and minimize downtime.</p> <p>A key example of how the remote-monitoring capabilities of Azure IoT Suite made this possible is <a href="http://www.johnsoncontrols.com/insights/2016/buildings/features/smart-connected-chillers"><strong>Johnson Controls</strong></a>. A leading manufacturer of sensors and equipment for buildings, Johnson Controls wanted to proactively deliver real-time insight into building operations and maintenance needs. Lack of insight into building operations meant customers were reactively dealing with issues of comfort and safety and could not control costs. Working with Microsoft, Johnson Controls connected thousands of chillers, more than 5,000 rooftops, and approximately 40,000 building subsystems to <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/cloud-platform/internet-of-things-azure-iot-suite">Azure IoT Suite</a>. Collecting and analyzing this data enabled Johnson Controls to help customers manage their buildings more efficiently by reducing energy consumption and costs.</p> <h4>Improved field maintenance and customer service</h4> <p>More complex equipment and products require more complex fixes. With specialized equipment and repair procedures, it’s no longer an option for service technicians to show up to customer sites uninformed. If just one part or tool is not along for the ride, the tech will have to reschedule, prolonging the repair and frustrating customers. Smart and connected machines sharing performance data mean that service technicians can be more prepared and productive with each service visit. They can arrive equipped with the right tools, parts and workflows to fix the problem the first time.</p> <div id="attachment_22293" style="width: 410px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img class="wp-image-22293" src="https://mscorpmedia.azureedge.net/mscorpmedia/2017/03/rm_04.png" width="400" height="221" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Discover more about how customers have delivered service excellence <a href="https://enterprise.microsoft.com/en-us/industries/discrete-manufacturing/microsoft-connected-field-service-enabling-the-agile-manufacturer/">here</a> with Microsoft’s <a href="https://appsource.microsoft.com/en-us/product/dynamics-crm/mscrm.373a54c1-1691-4f9a-8494-586a3e5f0d75">Connected Field Service</a> solution.</p></div> <p>IoT also enables remote diagnostics that make it much easier for less experienced technicians to drive repairs to close the first time without requiring a different tech to come out or walk them through it over the phone. Offering both performance insight to customers and remote diagnostics information to field techs completely changes the way companies deliver on customer satisfaction and creates differentiation in the market.</p> <h4>Moving from reactive to proactive</h4> <p>Remote monitoring is completely redefining the paradigm of maintenance. By collecting, storing and analyzing historical data, remote monitoring makes it possible to see, with a mathematical degree of certainty, when a part has worn down and needs servicing. Rather than relying on a fixed schedule and perhaps replacing a part that could keep performing normally for another year, you can monitor specific performance thresholds to know when the part must be replaced. This helps prevent costly problems before they occur.</p> <p><img class="alignleft wp-image-22296" src="https://mscorpmedia.azureedge.net/mscorpmedia/2017/03/rm_05.png" width="400" height="179" />For example, <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/devices/2016/09/15/microsoft-hololens-enables-thyssenkrupp-to-transform-the-global-elevator-industry/">ThyssenKrupp</a> wanted to better monitor and service its 1.1 million elevators installed in some of the most famous buildings in the world. Because of a lack of insight, unpredicted failures had led to costly downtime. By connecting thousands of sensors embedded in its elevators to the Microsoft cloud, ThyssenKrupp gained real-time visibility into product performance and rapid, remote diagnostic capabilities through HoloLens. Now, through the <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/cloud-platform/internet-of-things-azure-iot-suite">Azure IoT Suite</a>, ThyssenKrupp has reduced maintenance costs and elevator downtime by arming its 20,000 elevator service technicians with the ability to visualize and identify problems ahead of a job as well as have remote, hands-free access to technical and expert information when onsite.</p> <h4>Guided innovation and easier product design</h4> <p><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-22299" src="https://mscorpmedia.azureedge.net/mscorpmedia/2017/03/rm_06.png" alt="" width="375" height="237" />Connecting asset sensors together through a remote-monitoring solution can also help guide product redesign, inform future development and drive innovation. Performance data, like operating temperature, can help design teams understand what was overdesigned or underdesigned when compared with original design specifications. In-product sensors also make it easy for designers to know what features are used most often and which ones could be left out in the future. Reducing unused features makes it possible to lower costs or create a new version of the product that is simpler or more intuitive to operate. Usage data can also be leveraged to discover a previously unknown market or subset of customers that would significantly benefit from a different product all together.</p> <h2>Gain new business insights and explore innovative business models</h2> <p>When you can see the whole picture, it becomes easier to make connections you never thought possible. Until IoT and big data, it was difficult to bring together information from different data silos and correlate them. Business and insights were limited by verticals within the company. By moving data into Azure IoT Suite, it’s never been easier to spot trends and identify potential opportunities within your company. Leading manufacturers like <a href="http://www.rolls-royce.com/media/press-releases/yr-2016/11-07-2016-rr-takes-totalcare-digital-with-microsoft-and-singapore-airlines.aspx">Rolls-Royce</a> are opening up new revenue streams based off these improved data insights they can provide to customers.</p> <p><img class="alignleft wp-image-22302" src="https://mscorpmedia.azureedge.net/mscorpmedia/2017/03/rm_07.png" width="300" height="306" />Rolls-Royce disrupted the airline industry 20 years ago with its engines-as-a-service offering, and now it is doing it again with insights from Azure IoT Suite. After connecting its assets, it saw how customers were using their engines and could compare engine and fuel performance and provide recommendations to airlines to improve efficiencies with training and maintenance support. This insight results in a new service: TotalCare®. TotalCare® isn’t just an engine maintenance plan, it’s a comprehensive service model that collects and aggregates data on engine health, fuel usage and other data points to <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/cloud-platform/internet-of-things-azure-iot-suite">Azure IoT Suite</a> and <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/cloud-platform/cortana-intelligence-suite">Cortana Intelligence Suite</a> in real time to deliver enhanced visibility to its customers. With TotalCare®, Rolls-Royce is helping its customers decrease flight disruptions and save millions of dollars per year.</p> <h4>Get started today</h4> <p>Remote monitoring has been around a while, but IoT makes it possible for it to deliver a whole new series of business benefits. The solution empowers organizations with deep visibility and diagnostics for use cases like predictive maintenance, connected field service and product innovation. Whether your assets are down the street or across the globe, you’ll get the insights needed to make real-time decisions that keep your business competitive and differentiated.</p> <p>Are you ready to unlock the full value of it for your business? Get the business insights you need by using Microsoft’s <a href="https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/solutions/remote-monitoring/">Remote Monitoring with IoT solution</a> to seamlessly bring your asset data into the cloud. And to learn more about how IoT can transform your business, visit <a href="http://www.internetofyourthings.com/">www.InternetofYourThings.com</a>.</p> <hr /> <p><a href="#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1">[1]</a> “IDC&#8217;s 2016 Global IoT Decision Maker Survey Finds Organizations Moving Past Pilot Projects and Toward Scalable Deployments,” IDC<br /> <a href="#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2">[2]</a> “Evolution of Smart Service: Connected to the Future of Resolution,” Aberdeen</p> ]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">22275</post-id> </item> <item> <title>Future-focused: Stop thinking in the past and get ahead of the unexpected with IoT</title> <link>https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/02/28/future-focused-stop-thinking-in-the-past-and-get-ahead-of-the-unexpected-with-iot-2/</link> <pubDate>Tue, 28 Feb 2017 16:00:54 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Microsoft IoT]]></dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Microsoft IoT]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Azure IoT Suite]]></category> <category><![CDATA[capability]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Jabil]]></category> <category><![CDATA[KUKA]]></category> <category><![CDATA[predictive maintenance]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Rockwell Automation]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Rolls-Royce]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/?p=22074</guid> <description><![CDATA[One June day in Virginia last year, an airplane was grounded by an unlikely adversary: a large swarm of bees. The peculiar story made for &#8230; <a href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/02/28/future-focused-stop-thinking-in-the-past-and-get-ahead-of-the-unexpected-with-iot-2/" class="read-more">Read more &#187;</a>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>One June day in Virginia last year, an airplane was grounded by an unlikely adversary: a large swarm of bees. The peculiar story made for great newspaper headlines and serves as a reminder that even with the best technology and planning, some things are truly unexpected. But fortunately, most aircraft delays are caused by far more predictable issues than an unwelcome swarm of bees nesting in a turbine. Airlines, like most asset-intensive businesses, are getting increasingly better at predicting failures and anticipating maintenance problems. Rather than keeping planes grounded for costly and annoying last-minute maintenance — or, worse, exposing passengers to the risk of flying on a faulty aircraft — airlines are investing in cutting-edge technology that detects potential problems before they arise.</p> <h2>Predicting what was once unpredictable</h2> <p>Successful companies know that it pays to get ahead of problems. This doesn’t mean <em>more</em> scheduled, structured maintenance — it means performing maintenance <em>at just the right time</em>. The problem with scheduled maintenance is the guesswork — parts might be replaced before they need to be under the banner of minimizing downtime. To truly be predictive, companies require a real-time understanding of how assets are performing in the field, how their surroundings impact performance, and how those assets compare against similar assets.</p> <p>Comparing current conditions with the historical data, and using that analysis to predict subtle, early signs of a future problem, help prevent problems and avoid guesswork. Data-driven insights enable companies to transform their approach with predictive maintenance — enabling organizations to automatically trigger preventative actions when certain conditions occur.</p> <p>This delivers numerous benefits, like cost savings and greater uptime — but that’s not all. Organizations are also using the underlying information to enhance customer engagement and differentiate their businesses. Let’s now take a look at how predictive maintenance and related proactive services are helping to address business needs across a range of scenarios.</p> <h2>Creating a variety of benefits for your business</h2> <h4>Increasing quality, reducing waste and saving energy</h4> <p><img class="alignright wp-image-22233" src="https://mscorpmedia.azureedge.net/mscorpmedia/2017/03/Microsoft-IoT-Blog-Post-Illustration_LV1-2_rev04.jpg" width="401" height="218" />Leveraging data from across locations and assets enables manufacturers to manage operations in a completely new way. With assets that continually generate performance data, it becomes possible to closely track variations, create alerts and preprogram workflows to respond to changing conditions. By using data to fine-tune processes and automate responses, businesses can reduce energy consumption and prevent costly waste and rework.</p> <p><a href="http://www.jabil.com/blog/microsoft-and-jabil-collaborate-to-create-predictive-analytics-quality-assurance-platform/"><strong>Jabil</strong></a>, one of the world’s leading design and manufacturing solution providers, wanted to minimize downtime by creating digital, intelligent and predictive factories. The company connected its machines to Microsoft <a href="https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/services/machine-learning/">Azure Machine Learning</a>. Once connected, it began capturing millions of data points and running them through machine-learning algorithms. These predictive analytics capabilities enabled them to catch issues before they even occur. With the ability to identify small deviations in performance, Jabil can now prevent big problems down the line — leading to higher product quality and lower failure rates. After incorporating <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/cloud-platform/internet-of-things-azure-iot-suite">Azure IoT Suite</a> into its business, Jabil could predict with 80 percent accuracy when machine processes would slow down or fail, which reduced the cost of scrap and rework by 17 percent. It also experienced an energy savings of 10 percent.</p> <h4>Proactively detecting failures to maintain uptime</h4> <p><img class="alignleft wp-image-22236" src="https://mscorpmedia.azureedge.net/mscorpmedia/2017/03/Microsoft-IoT-Blog-Post-Illustration_LV1-3_rev04.jpg" width="401" height="218" />Asset performance data is not just a source of process optimization or quality assurance. The information from asset monitoring and maintenance solutions also ensures production uptime. For instance, with various machinery involved at all stages of production, one of these assets going down can result in millions of dollars in lost production. <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/cloud-platform/customer-stories-kuka-robotics"><strong>KUKA</strong></a>, a robotics manufacturer, runs a connected factory that produces different Jeep Wrangler bodies on the same production line. To deliver a new car body every 77 seconds, KUKA needed continuous, 24/7 uptime without interrupting production flow. After connecting 60,000 devices and robots to the Azure platform, KUKA gained better insight into equipment status. This was the foundation for predicting when a robot might fail and what component was at risk. As a result of this predictive insight, KUKA increased productivity and reduced downtime.</p> <h4>Enhance customer engagement with contextual and responsive services</h4> <p><img class="alignright wp-image-22242" src="https://mscorpmedia.azureedge.net/mscorpmedia/2017/03/Microsoft-IoT-Blog-Post-Illustration_LV1-4_rev05.jpg" width="401" height="218" />Customer expectations have evolved. The on-demand, always-on service experiences available from digital businesses are now shaping the way customers think about all services they receive. Customers expect businesses to be highly responsive. These expectations are forcing an evolution from the break-fix model of service. To meet these changing demands, manufacturers like Rockwell Automation are now providing proactive monitoring and predictive maintenance services.</p> <p>The petroleum supply chain runs 24 hours a day, and getting to the various equipment in that chain takes time. <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/cloud-platform/customer-stories-rockwell-automation"><strong>Rockwell Automation</strong></a> wanted to differentiate itself from competitors. Using <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/cloud-platform/internet-of-things-azure-iot-suite">Azure IoT Suite</a> to monitor its expensive, remote equipment, Rockwell can now offer proactive, data-driven advice to its customers. With full visibility into equipment performance, it’s now easy to alert customers to potential issues and give them precise insights into how to address them. In an industry where a single pump failure in an offshore rig can cost a company $300,000 a day in lost production, these insights are of significant value to Rockwell’s customers. After partnering with Microsoft, Rockwell significantly reduced customers’ troubleshooting efforts and has made the design manual consult a thing of the past.</p> <h4>Support development of innovative and differentiated business models</h4> <p><img class="alignleft wp-image-22245" src="https://mscorpmedia.azureedge.net/mscorpmedia/2017/03/Microsoft-IoT-Blog-Post-Illustration_LV1-5_rev03.jpg" width="401" height="218" />It’s also possible to use data from connected devices to create new services, new monetization models and even new product designs. By analyzing product data, organizations can better identify which features are used most, how performance and failures vary from user to user, and whether customers are misusing the product and could benefit from training. Insight into these areas enables businesses to reduce costs, innovate faster and open up new revenue streams — all with less money spent on R&amp;D.</p> <p>For example, <a href="http://www.rolls-royce.com/media/press-releases/yr-2016/11-07-2016-rr-takes-totalcare-digital-with-microsoft-and-singapore-airlines.aspx"><strong>Rolls-Royce</strong></a> wanted to improve aircraft efficiency and reduce maintenance costs for its engines, which power more than 50,000 flights around the world each month. With ever-increasing volumes of data coming from all the different sensors on an aircraft, Rolls-Royce needed a better way to get ahead of customers’ maintenance needs. Rolls-Royce partnered with Microsoft to collect and analyze a wide variety of data in real time, including engine health, air traffic control, fuel usage and more. Now, Rolls-Royce not only has a strong approach to predictive maintenance, it has developed a line of new service offerings based on the visibility and insight it gained. These offerings help its airline customers determine optimal actions for saving money and making other operational improvements.</p> <h2>Get started today</h2> <p>We all know that some problems are truly unexpected — the flight crew grounded by bees can certainly testify to that. But fortunately, surprise mechanical delays are increasingly becoming a thing of the past. Learn how predictive maintenance can transform your business today at <a href="http://www.internetofyourthings.com/">www.InternetofYourThings.com</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">22074</post-id> </item> <item> <title>How gateway technology makes connecting industrial assets easier</title> <link>https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/02/23/how-gateway-technology-makes-connecting-industrial-assets-easier/</link> <pubDate>Thu, 23 Feb 2017 17:00:56 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Microsoft IoT]]></dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Microsoft IoT]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Azure IoT Gateway SDK]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Azure IoT Hub]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/?p=22023</guid> <description><![CDATA[The cloud’s up there. Your devices are down here. So how do you connect them, particularly when they may be offline, in multiple buildings or &#8230; <a href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/02/23/how-gateway-technology-makes-connecting-industrial-assets-easier/" class="read-more">Read more &#187;</a>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The cloud’s up there. Your devices are down here. So how do you connect them, particularly when they may be offline, in multiple buildings or factories, and often also geographically dispersed?</p> <p>Connecting your existing devices to modern cloud solutions is the first step to reaping the benefits of the <a href="http://www.internetofyourthings.com/">Internet of Things</a> (IoT). But this step can seem daunting if your legacy industrial assets aren’t cloud-aware, can’t encrypt for security or aren’t TCP/IP-enabled.</p> <p>The Microsoft <a href="https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/services/iot-hub/iot-gateway-sdk/">Azure IoT Gateway SDK</a> is designed to connect legacy devices and sensors to the Azure cloud without having to replace existing infrastructure. In our work with connectivity providers like ProSoft Technology, we are making it even simpler to connect industrial assets to the cloud.</p> <p>The development team for the ProSoft PLX gateway are using the Azure IoT Gateway SDK to build and deploy “edge intelligence” modules that optimize and process data before it’s sent to the cloud to help their customers connect devices to the cloud in minutes and start using the remote monitoring capabilities of the <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/cloud-platform/internet-of-things-azure-iot-suite">Azure IoT Suite</a>. ProSoft PLX gateways communicate directly and securely with <a href="https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/services/iot-hub/">Azure IoT Hub</a> through the Azure IoT Gateway SDK, enabling enterprises to monitor, analyze, report on and create alarms based on the data connected devices send to the cloud.</p> <p>With gateway technology from Azure IoT and connectivity providers like Prosoft, legacy devices don’t need to delay your goal of connecting your existing assets to the cloud.</p> <p><a href="https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/connect-industrial-assets-with-prosoft-powered-by-the-azure-iot-gateway-sdk/">Read more</a> about how ProSoft and Azure IoT Gateway SDK can unlock the value of data from <a href="https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/connect-industrial-assets-with-prosoft-powered-by-the-azure-iot-gateway-sdk/">your industrial systems</a> to transform your business and operate more efficiently. For more information on how IoT can transform your business, visit <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/cloud-platform/internet-of-things">www.InternetofYourThings.com</a>.</p> <hr /> <p><em>Lead image: Diagram showing how existing business assets can be connected to the Azure IoT Suite remote monitoring preconfigured solution using a ProSoft PLX gateway running the Azure IoT Gateway SDK.</em></p> ]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">22023</post-id> </item> <item> <title>Swedish apartments transform into smart buildings with IoT makeover</title> <link>https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/02/21/swedish-apartments-transform-into-smart-buildings-with-iot-makeover/</link> <pubDate>Tue, 21 Feb 2017 17:00:12 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Jerry Lee]]></dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Microsoft IoT]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Azure IoT Gateway SDK]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Azure IoT Hub]]></category> <category><![CDATA[customer story]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Microsoft Azure]]></category> <category><![CDATA[predictive maintenance]]></category> <category><![CDATA[remote monitoring]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Stockrose]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/?p=21642</guid> <description><![CDATA[When winter hits Scandinavia and temperatures fall with the snow, having plenty of hot water is a real treat. It’s also a big expense — &#8230; <a href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/02/21/swedish-apartments-transform-into-smart-buildings-with-iot-makeover/" class="read-more">Read more &#187;</a>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>When winter hits Scandinavia and temperatures fall with the snow, having plenty of hot water is a real treat. It’s also a big expense — typically an apartment building’s No. 3 energy expense after heating and cooling. While no one wants to pay more than necessary for any utility, few apartment tenants (or their landlords) have a way to monitor their individual resource consumption.</p> <p>In Sweden, <a href="https://sweden.se/society/energy-use-in-sweden/">a world leader in renewable energy and sustainability</a>, a new <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/cloud-platform/internet-of-things">Internet of Things</a> (IoT) solution is seizing the opportunity to make apartments more efficient, conserve natural resources and save money. Stockrose, a Swedish property management company, is out to change the way building owners and tenants consume resources — so there’s incentive to take a shorter shower over a luxurious bath.</p> <p>In fact, Stockrose has evolved from the old model of dividing utility costs equally between tenants to a model where those who consume less, pay less. Stockrose worked with <a href="http://eniga.io/">Eniga</a>, a provider of intelligent cloud solutions, to connect the approximately 250 buildings and 10,000 apartment units it operates to <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/cloud-platform/internet-of-things-azure-iot-suite">Microsoft Azure IoT</a> technology. They began by tracking hot water usage, which accounts for about 20 percent of the energy bill in single-family homes — and much more in apartment buildings.</p> <p>The result of their collaboration is a building-as-a-service offering that will save Stockrose property owners an estimated $42 million in hot water costs within 10 years.</p> <p>“Sustainability is not just a buzzword,” says Richard Lind, CEO of Stockrose. “Sure, it’s a big promise, but it’s also a win-win for a number of stakeholders. It’s certainly a win for property owners who can lower their operational costs.”</p> <p><a href="https://mscorpmedia.azureedge.net/mscorpmedia/2017/01/iStock-619662792.jpg"><img class="alignright wp-image-21651 size-large" src="https://mscorpmedia.azureedge.net/mscorpmedia/2017/01/iStock-619662792-1024x683.jpg" width="640" height="427" /></a></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Stockrose chose Azure as the only IoT platform that offers the security features, performance and scalability it needs to support such a complex solution. The hybrid on-premises and cloud infrastructure connects at least five sensors in each apartment unit to the cloud. It starts with on-premises gateways running the <a href="https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/services/iot-hub/iot-gateway-sdk/">Azure IoT Gateway SDK</a>. The gateways enable Eniga to work with the diverse sensors from multiple vendors speaking different protocols that already exist in Stockrose’s buildings. Another benefit of the SDK is that its gateways can preprocess the data to minimize the amount of data sent to the cloud, which reduces the cost for Stockrose.</p> <p>Other Azure services then process and analyze sensor data to provide building owners with insights into resource usage. <a href="https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/services/iot-hub/">Azure IoT Hub</a> ingests data from the millions of sensors in buildings connected through the gateways. This gives Stockrose the flexibility to bring smart buildings online quickly and affordably without ripping and replacing existing infrastructure.</p> <p>“There are a lot of investments that have already been made, particularly in electricity and smart metering,” says Lind. “So what you need is a platform that is more or less agnostic about sensors and network topology. And that’s one of the good things about the Azure platform.”</p> <p>Beyond water heaters, the IoT platform can easily connect to all of a building’s systems, from HVAC to solar panels. It can also be used to detect water leaks and measure the snowpack on roofs to help avoid costly damage and insurance claims. Another benefit is that it opens opportunities for Stockrose to offer new products to property owners, such as water-saving shower fixtures and appliances.</p> <p>Stockrose can also offer predictive building maintenance as a service that can cut costs and increase efficiency. “I know that Azure IoT Hub can scale, and that we can take advantage of additional capabilities like real-time analytics,” says Lind. “We can also use machine learning, which will be a real cornerstone of our service for customers that want predictive maintenance.”</p> <p><a href="https://customers.microsoft.com/en-us/story/swedish-firm-uses-iot-technologies">Read the complete story</a> of how Stockrose is putting IoT to work in its buildings. To learn more about how Microsoft IoT can transform your business, visit <a href="http://www.InternetofYourThings.com">www.InternetofYourThings.com</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">21642</post-id> </item> <item> <title>Azure IoT turbocharged with new Azure Stream Analytics features</title> <link>https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/02/17/azure-iot-turbocharged-with-new-azure-stream-analytics-features/</link> <pubDate>Fri, 17 Feb 2017 17:00:32 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Microsoft IoT]]></dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Microsoft IoT]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Azure IoT]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Azure Stream Analytics]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Power BI]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Visual Studio]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/?p=21927</guid> <description><![CDATA[IoT solutions must monitor real-time data coming from devices and take action when troubling patterns are found. This capability is referred to as “stream processing,” &#8230; <a href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/02/17/azure-iot-turbocharged-with-new-azure-stream-analytics-features/" class="read-more">Read more &#187;</a>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>IoT solutions must monitor real-time data coming from devices and take action when troubling patterns are found. This capability is referred to as “stream processing,” and at the scale of IoT, customers need a robust and scalable solution. Many of our Azure IoT customers use Microsoft <a href="https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/services/stream-analytics/">Azure Stream Analytics</a> to meet these needs, and with its recently announced features, Azure Stream Analytics can help customers take their IoT solutions to the next level:</p> <ul> <li><strong>Native support for geospatial functions</strong> helps developers build solutions for connected car, connected fleet management and related “things that move” scenarios. More than 100 customers including NASCAR have already been using these geospatial capabilities in preview to define geographical areas, evaluate incoming geospatial data for containment, proximity and overlap, and generate alerts or easily kick off necessary workflows.</li> <li><strong>Custom code with JavaScript</strong> now enables more advanced scenarios. Customers can write their custom code in JavaScript and easily invoke it as part of their real-time stream processing query.</li> <li><strong>Low-latency dashboards</strong> offer an improved experience for solutions built using Azure Stream Analytics. High-volume, streaming data analytics can now be output to <a href="https://powerbi.microsoft.com/en-us/">Microsoft Power BI</a> with significantly lower latency.</li> <li><strong>Job diagnostics logs</strong> simplify self-service troubleshooting. Customers now have a systematic way to deal with lost, late or malformed data — and to investigate errors caused by bad data.</li> <li><a href="https://www.visualstudio.com/"><strong>Visual Studio</strong></a><strong> integration</strong> with Azure Stream Analytics is also available in public preview.</li> </ul> <p>Read more about all these <a href="https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/new-in-azure-stream-analytics-geospatial-functions-custom-code-and-lots-more/">new features</a>, or for more information on how IoT can transform your business, visit <a href="http://www.internetofyourthings.com/">www.InternetofYourThings.com</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">21927</post-id> </item> <item> <title>Leveraging Microsoft’s Connected Field Service capabilities to transform your business</title> <link>https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/02/16/leveraging-microsofts-connected-field-service-capabilities-to-transform-your-business/</link> <pubDate>Thu, 16 Feb 2017 17:00:40 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Microsoft IoT]]></dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Microsoft IoT]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Machine learning]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Microsoft Azure IoT Suite]]></category> <category><![CDATA[predictive maintenance]]></category> <category><![CDATA[servitization]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/?p=21870</guid> <description><![CDATA[Digital transformation is causing tremendous shifts in how manufacturers do business. Leading firms are moving toward selling services instead of products[1], turning what used to &#8230; <a href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/02/16/leveraging-microsofts-connected-field-service-capabilities-to-transform-your-business/" class="read-more">Read more &#187;</a>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Digital transformation is causing tremendous shifts in how manufacturers do business. Leading firms are moving toward selling services instead of products<a href="#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1">[1]</a>, turning what used to be an expensive operation – fixing failures in the field – into the cornerstone of a successful, high-margin business.<a href="#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2">[2]</a> This approach, known as <a href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2016/11/07/from-commodization-to-servitization-transforming-your-business-to-compete-in-the-new-age-of-field-service-with-iot/">servitization</a><u>,</u> decreases operational costs, creates new, recurring revenue streams, and enables manufacturers to <a href="http://www.bmasi.net/es/opinion/articulos/item/698-why-servitization-is-an-increasingly-critical-strategy-for-manufacturing-firms/698-why-servitization-is-an-increasingly-critical-strategy-for-manufacturing-firms">differentiate their offerings</a> from competitors’ solutions. But shifting from a “product-based” to a “service-based” business isn’t just about improving profits – it’s also about providing customers with better outcomes, greater reliability, and reduced risks. For more and more manufacturers, servitization is essential to <a href="https://enterprise.microsoft.com/en-us/industries/retail-and-consumer-goods/digital-transformation-seven-steps-success/">embracing digital transformation</a> and generating new value for themselves and their customers.</p> <p><strong>Connected Field Service enables a seamless shift to successful servitization </strong></p> <p>With Microsoft <a href="http://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2016/05/23/microsoft-empowers-the-customer-experience-with-new-connected-field-service-solution/">Connected Field Service</a>, a fully integrated IoT enabled “field service” solution that leverages <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics/field-service">Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Field Service</a>, it’s possible to transform service from a siloed source of cost into a consistent profit driver. Connected Field Service enables companies to easily and successfully navigate <a href="https://explore.dynamics.com/field-service/field-service-5-steps-to-successful-servitization">the five key steps to servitization</a>, which can dramatically improve first-time fix rates, reduce onsite appointments, increase profits, and enhance customer outcomes. Here, we’ll walk through the basics of how companies are embracing servitization via Connected Field Service:</p> <p><strong><img class="alignleft wp-image-21882" src="https://mscorpmedia.azureedge.net/mscorpmedia/2017/02/01.png" width="300" height="210" />1. Utilizing quality field service management software</strong> is the critical first step for every organization. Great software enables companies to enhance the <a href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/firehose/2015/11/30/microsofts-fieldone-ups-the-field-service-management-game/#sm.001vnj1tuwspcxp11mr15ksmrvzcu">management and delivery of their services</a> to a diverse set of customers. With <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics/field-service">Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Field Service</a> and it’s advanced field service capabilities, it’s easy to integrate scheduling and routing, inventory, invoicing, training and knowledge, customer information, and more. The best field service management software <a href="https://info.microsoft.com/ultimate-guide-to-optimizing-field-service-management.html">goes a step further into optimization</a>, maximizing appointments per day, and improving customer satisfaction and organizational productivity. It also boosts first-time fix rates by aggregating and distributing critical data so that individuals across the organization have access to the latest insights from the field.</p> <p><strong><img class="alignright wp-image-21885" src="https://mscorpmedia.azureedge.net/mscorpmedia/2017/02/02.png" width="300" height="210" />2. Connecting smart devices</strong> and assets to field service software enables companies to <a href="http://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2016/05/23/microsoft-empowers-the-customer-experience-with-new-connected-field-service-solution/">leverage the latest Internet of Things (IoT) technology to enhance operations</a>. Leveraging IoT connectivity is where operational productivity begins to escalate quickly.  With this approach, many issues can be repaired remotely and with minimal human intervention, resulting in cost savings and ensuring that technicians are sent only when necessary. Achieving these benefits requires seamless integration of <a href="https://enterprise.microsoft.com/en-us/industries/discrete-manufacturing/microsoft-connected-field-service-enabling-the-agile-manufacturer/">IoT technologies with Connected Field Service</a>. Using software like Microsoft Azure IoT Suite and Dynamics 365 for Field Service, companies can quickly and easily connect devices and start using IoT data to make more intelligent service decisions.</p> <p><strong><img class="alignleft wp-image-21888" src="https://mscorpmedia.azureedge.net/mscorpmedia/2017/02/03.png" width="299" height="210" />3. Integrating service</strong> <strong>across an entire a company</strong> provides field service organizations with a true competitive advantage. A single platform gives technicians the ability to identify opportunities in the field and request follow-up from sales – <a href="http://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2016/06/06/building-a-customer-driven-service-model-with-iot/">uniting field service, customer service, and the sales organization</a>. It also ensures that technicians have a full 360-degree view of customer cases so they have all relevant information before they arrive on-site, increasing the first-time fix rate. A comprehensive service approach is more than just collaboration between different business units – it’s a mindset of ensuring a continuous, cohesive customer experience and empowering employees to gain visibility into the entire customer journey.</p> <p><strong><img class="alignright wp-image-21891" src="https://mscorpmedia.azureedge.net/mscorpmedia/2017/02/04.png" width="300" height="210" />4. Leveraging machine learning</strong> is critical to field service because it enables <a href="https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/iot-suite/iot-suite-predictive-overview">predictive maintenance</a>  – fixing problems before they arise or can cause disruptions. Machine learning can deliver benefits in many related scenarios as well. For example, by applying insights from machine learning, firms can order inventory more efficiently, schedule technicians more effectively, and understand which products are out-performing and under-performing, and why. But the primary application of <a href="https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/services/machine-learning/">machine learning</a> – empowering companies to <a href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2015/12/01/azure-iot-suite-predictive-maintenance-now-available/">know when service is needed</a> via predictive maintenance – provides a tremendous competitive advantage when it comes to reducing costs and maximizing field service efficiency.</p> <p><strong><img class="alignleft wp-image-21894" src="https://mscorpmedia.azureedge.net/mscorpmedia/2017/02/05.png" width="300" height="210" />5. Enabling field service to power innovation </strong>is another example of how field service can help firms differentiate themselves. Product and service innovations come from customer insights, from the actual use of products and services beyond the feedback customers volunteer.  The tribal knowledge of field service technicians can also be used to uncover trends and best practices – using smart devices and machine learning to capture, aggregate, and analyze field service technician’s repair notes, firms can enable the wisdom and expertise of their employees to power ingenuity. Connecting a 360-degree view of customer interactions across channels, product telemetry from <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/devices/2016/09/15/microsoft-hololens-enables-thyssenkrupp-to-transform-the-global-elevator-industry/#45FF5RB7me7xDHOs.97">connecting smart products to field service</a>, and observations from service technicians gives field service organizations multiple new catalysts for innovation. With those powerful insights, service organizations can transform many maintenance problems into predictive, preventive solutions.</p> <p><strong>Get started today</strong></p> <p>Microsoft is helping manufacturers embrace digital transformation and compete in the age of servitization. Businesses that want to stay competitive can’t afford to wait – one out of every four field service operations is already <a href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2016/11/07/from-commodization-to-servitization-transforming-your-business-to-compete-in-the-new-age-of-field-service-with-iot/">generating new revenue from servitization</a>. Learn how you can expand your services and enhance customer relationships with <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/field-service">Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Field Service</a>, Microsoft <a href="http://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2016/05/23/microsoft-empowers-the-customer-experience-with-new-connected-field-service-solution/">IoT Connected Field Service</a> capabilities, <a href="https://explore.dynamics.com/field-service/field-service-5-steps-to-successful-servitization">the five steps to successful servitization</a>, and Microsoft Azure IoT Suite can transform your service organization today at <a href="http://www.internetofyourthings.com/">www.InternetofYourThings.com</a>.</p> <hr /> <p><a href="#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1">[1]</a> Aberdeen Group, State of Field Service Market</p> <p><a href="#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2">[2]</a> Aberdeen Group, Service Revenue: Unearth an Untapped Stream of Dollars</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> ]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">21870</post-id> </item> <item> <title>How to assess IoT security from end to end</title> <link>https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/02/15/how-to-assess-iot-security-from-end-to-end/</link> <pubDate>Wed, 15 Feb 2017 17:00:46 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Microsoft IoT]]></dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Microsoft IoT]]></category> <category><![CDATA[article]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/?p=21846</guid> <description><![CDATA[As businesses around the world look to adopt IoT or expand their deployments, security may have never been more top of mind. Recent news of &#8230; <a href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/02/15/how-to-assess-iot-security-from-end-to-end/" class="read-more">Read more &#187;</a>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>As businesses around the world look to adopt IoT or expand their deployments, security may have never been more top of mind. Recent news of hackers using sophisticated <a href="http://thehackernews.com/2017/02/mirai-iot-botnet-windows.html">malware like Mirai</a> is a reminder that actively addressing these issues is critical to businesses.</p> <p>Yet as the threat landscape is always changing, security is not so much a destination to be reached as it is a continuous journey, according to Microsoft’s <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/people/arjmands/">Arjmand Samuel</a><u>, </u>a principal program manager for IoT. Addressing the wide-reaching challenges of security in the age of IoT requires participation from the entire technology ecosystem — from cloud providers to hardware manufacturers and solution developers to the companies that ultimately operate the system.</p> <p>This week at the <a href="https://www.rsaconference.com/events/us17">RSA Conference 2017</a> in San Francisco, Samuel will host a theater session discussing ways to foresee and overcome difficulties around designing, developing and deploying IoT infrastructure.</p> <p>The session will explore new complexities introduced by recent security threats and detail the top security concerns that IoT solution providers, partners and customers should be focused on today. Samuel will also discuss the <a href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2016/10/26/introducing-the-security-program-for-azure-iot/">Security Program for Azure IoT</a>, which brings customers together with trusted security auditors and Microsoft security specialists to evaluate IoT solutions end to end and identify security priorities, vulnerabilities and effective mitigations.</p> <p>For more information on how IoT can transform your business, visit <a href="http://www.internetofyourthings.com/">www.InternetofYourThings.com</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">21846</post-id> </item> <item> <title>See the Internet of Things in Action With Microsoft</title> <link>https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/02/15/see-the-internet-of-things-in-action-with-microsoft/</link> <pubDate>Wed, 15 Feb 2017 14:00:54 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Microsoft IoT]]></dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Microsoft IoT]]></category> <category><![CDATA[article]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/?p=21828</guid> <description><![CDATA[At Microsoft, we believe that one of the most important trends for improving your business is the Internet of Things (IoT). It&#8217;s a cornerstone of &#8230; <a href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/02/15/see-the-internet-of-things-in-action-with-microsoft/" class="read-more">Read more &#187;</a>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>At Microsoft, we believe that one of the most important trends for improving your business is the Internet of Things (IoT). It&#8217;s a cornerstone of digital transformation that is driving real value across industries, helping the enterprise reduce cost and create new lines of business. But IoT isn’t one &#8220;thing.&#8221; It&#8217;s about an ecosystem of devices, the data they generate, and the opportunity to draw insights and take action based on analysis of that data.</p> <p>But IoT is complicated, and presents a range of opportunities and challenges that can make it difficult to get started. So Microsoft has joined forces with the online tech publication ReadWrite to host <a href="https://dynamicevents.emeetingsonline.com/emeetings/websitev2.asp?mmnno=644&amp;pagename=SITE513408&amp;utm_source=DF&amp;utm_medium=Social">IoT in Action With Microsoft</a>, a two-day event of thought leadership and technical know-how designed to educate and foster collaboration among hardware manufacturers, distributors, packaged software providers and systems integrators.</p> <p>Please join us in San Jose, California, USA, at the Fairmont Hotel March 21–22, 2017, for a unique opportunity to learn more about what it takes to build a world-class IoT solution. You&#8217;ll be joined by industry experts including Dr. James Whittaker, Microsoft distinguished technology evangelist; Tom O’Reilly, general manager, OEM Embedded; Carl Coken, Microsoft general manager, account technology specialist; Trevor Curwin, editor in chief of ReadWrite; and a host of speakers providing insights around cloud economics, the business value of IoT solutions, device-to-cloud security, and sharing real-world examples of how businesses have successfully built and monetized scalable IoT solutions.</p> <p>For more information on the full two-day agenda, and to register for the event, please visit the <a href="https://dynamicevents.emeetingsonline.com/emeetings/websitev2.asp?mmnno=644&amp;pagename=SITE513408&amp;utm_source=DF&amp;utm_medium=Social">IoT in Action With Microsoft registration site</a>.</p> <p>If you can’t be in San Jose in person, catch all the updates from the stage via Twitter using hashtag <a href="https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&amp;q=%23IoTinActionMS&amp;src=typd">#IoTinActionMS</a>! And for more information about how IoT can help your business, visit <a href="http://www.internetofyourthings.com/">InternetofYourThings.com</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">21828</post-id> </item> <item> <title>How IoT and AI are transforming cars with intelligent mobility</title> <link>https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/02/09/how-iot-and-ai-are-transforming-cars-with-intelligent-mobility/</link> <pubDate>Thu, 09 Feb 2017 17:00:05 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Microsoft IoT]]></dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Microsoft IoT]]></category> <category><![CDATA[AI]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Azure]]></category> <category><![CDATA[connected vehicle]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/?p=21762</guid> <description><![CDATA[Buy a new car, and you’re really buying a datacenter on wheels. By 2025, 100 percent of new cars will be connected cars, up from &#8230; <a href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/02/09/how-iot-and-ai-are-transforming-cars-with-intelligent-mobility/" class="read-more">Read more &#187;</a>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Buy a new car, and you’re really buying a datacenter on wheels. By 2025, 100 percent of new cars will be connected cars, up from 35 percent today. And by 2030, 15 percent of new cars will be autonomous — and all will send, receive and analyze vast amounts of data.</p> <p>As Microsoft’s principal group program manager, Doug Seven is working alongside the automotive industry to transform the everyday experience of driving through the <a href="http://www.internetofyourthings.com/">Internet of Things</a> (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI). Seven shared his insights on the industry’s rapid innovation in a keynote address this past week at <a href="http://www.designcon.com/">DesignCon</a> 2017 in Santa Clara, California.</p> <p>If you weren’t able to attend the show, Seven’s keynote on “<a href="http://schedule.designcon.com/session/the-internet-of-things-that-move-connected-cars-beyond">The Internet of Things That Move – Connected Cars &amp; Beyond</a>,” described how automakers and OEMs can evolve their offerings with advanced technology, from high-speed connectivity to the car, new models of car usage and ownership, and autonomous driving. To meet these demands, developers need strong cloud-based assets, global capabilities and enterprise B2B tools that deliver end-to-end solutions wherever people drive.</p> <p>Seven spearhead’s Microsoft’s engineering team for mobility services, including the Azure-cloud enabled <a href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/01/05/helping-automakers-drive-innovation-through-connected-cars/">Microsoft Connected Vehicle Platform</a>  and location-based services enabled by partners such as ESRI, TomTom and HERE. The Microsoft Connected Vehicle Platform is an agile platform for the automotive industry designed to empower manufacturers to create custom, connected driving experiences. It aims to address five key priorities: telematics and predictive maintenance, productivity and digital life, intelligent and contextual navigation, customer insight and engagement, and helping build autonomous driving capabilities.</p> <p>Maximizing the combined capabilities of IoT and AI can unlock new business models for the industry and improve travel experiences for passengers. Autonomous cars equipped with telematics, sensors, infotainment services, navigation, cameras, radar and more will use AI to understand the world around them, make decisions and engage with passengers.</p> <p>For more information, <a href="http://aka.ms/mcvp">read our blog post</a> about how the Microsoft Connected Vehicle Platform can help automakers transform cars.</p> <hr /> <p><em>Lead image citations:</em></p> <div style="font-size: 11px;"> <p>Gautham Nagesh, “Mary Barra’s Road Map for GM Centers on Customer Data, Connectivity,” Wall Street Journal, October 25, 2015, <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/mary-barras-road-map-for-gm-centers-on-customer-data-connectivity-1445824801">https://www.wsj.com/articles/mary-barras-road-map-for-gm-centers-on-customer-data-connectivity-1445824801</a>.</p> <p>“Consumer interest in connected cars gaining speed in top markets,” Consultancy.uk, May 23, 2016, <a href="http://www.consultancy.uk/news/12023/consumer-interest-in-connected-cars-gaining-speed-in-top-markets">http://www.consultancy.uk/news/12023/consumer-interest-in-connected-cars-gaining-speed-in-top-markets</a>.</p> <p>Paul Gao, Hans-Werner Kaas, Detlev Mohr, and Dominik Wee, “Disruptive trends that will transform the auto industry,” McKinsey &amp; Company, January 2016, <a href="http://www.mckinsey.com/industries/high-tech/our-insights/disruptive-trends-that-will-transform-the-auto-industry">http://www.mckinsey.com/industries/high-tech/our-insights/disruptive-trends-that-will-transform-the-auto-industry</a>.</p> <p>Zachary Shahan, “7 Global &amp; UK EV Charts Via @POD_Point,” Clean Technica, March 20, 2016, <a href="https://cleantechnica.com/2016/03/20/7-global-uk-ev-charts-via-pod_point/">https://cleantechnica.com/2016/03/20/7-global-uk-ev-charts-via-pod_point/</a>.</p> <p>“Safety Technologies,” NHTSA, 2016, <a href="https://www.nhtsa.gov/equipment/safety-technologies">https://www.nhtsa.gov/equipment/safety-technologies</a>.</p> </div> ]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">21762</post-id> </item> <item> <title>IoT White Paper: How OEMs and ISVs can lead the way in digital transformation</title> <link>https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/02/08/iot-white-paper-how-oems-and-isvs-are-leading-the-way-in-digital-transformation/</link> <pubDate>Wed, 08 Feb 2017 12:00:54 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Microsoft IoT]]></dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Microsoft IoT]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/?p=21693</guid> <description><![CDATA[Smarter, cheaper, always-connected devices are driving a faster and faster pace of change in technology. Coupled with ever-shifting consumer demands and the need to remain &#8230; <a href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/iot/2017/02/08/iot-white-paper-how-oems-and-isvs-are-leading-the-way-in-digital-transformation/" class="read-more">Read more &#187;</a>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Smarter, cheaper, always-connected devices are driving a faster and faster pace of change in technology. Coupled with ever-shifting consumer demands and the need to remain competitive, businesses in every industry are embracing digital transformation.  The Internet of Things (IoT) is fueling that transformation, starting with devices that collect and process data at the place where business gets done—where customers engage with a brand, employees are empowered with information and tools to execute their mission, and where operations run at peak performance.</p> <p>This represents a huge opportunity for enterprises. Industry analysts predict an average $100 million increase in operating revenue for leading enterprises.<a href="#_edn1" name="_ednref1">[i]</a> Major industries are projected to realize gross margin increases of 55%, mostly driven by edge computing with connected devices, applications, and analytics.<a href="#_edn2" name="_ednref2">[ii]</a> Progressive organizations are taking advantage of amazing technological innovation to transform their business and stay on the leading edge of market demands.</p> <p>It’s a <em>massive </em>opportunity for OEMs and ISVs. Analysts calculate there will be more than 30 billion connected devices by 2020,<a href="#_edn3" name="_ednref3">[iii]</a> creating a $1.7 trillion market for devices and applications.<a href="#_edn4" name="_ednref4">[iv]</a> Gartner predicts spending on IoT hardware will exceed $2.5 million every minute with 1 million devices bought and installed every hour.<a href="#_edn5" name="_ednref5">[v]</a> Capitalizing on this opportunity can be immediate. By building on technologies that customers already have, connecting current devices, unlocking existing intelligence and integrating new smart devices that bring intelligence to the edge, OEM’s and ISV’s can provide customers with access to actionable insights; enabling them to proactively respond to rapidly changing market demands.</p> <p>In our new whitepaper, <a href="https://mscorpmedia.azureedge.net/mscorpmedia/2017/01/IoT-Solutions-White-Paper-Microsoft-Internet-of-Things.pdf"><em>The IoT Enterprise Digital Transformation</em></a>, we offer insights into this once-in-a-generation opportunity for OEMs and ISVs to reinvent their business, products and services. Instead of making one-time devices, they can package their goods with ongoing digital content and services, connecting them with other devices and data to increase their value and create new revenue streams.</p> <div id="attachment_21708" style="width: 650px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://mscorpmedia.azureedge.net/mscorpmedia/2017/01/IoT-Solutions-White-Paper-Microsoft-Internet-of-Things.pdf"><img class="wp-image-21708 size-full" src="https://mscorpmedia.azureedge.net/mscorpmedia/2017/02/digitalTransformation_CTA.jpg" alt="Get the IoT White Paper" width="640" height="331" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text"><a href="https://mscorpmedia.azureedge.net/mscorpmedia/2017/01/IoT-Solutions-White-Paper-Microsoft-Internet-of-Things.pdf">Digital transformation with IoT: How OEMs and ISVs can lead the way</a></p></div> <p>Find out how:</p> <ul> <li>IoT is empowering digital transformation across industries.</li> <li>OEMs and ISVs can capture the IoT opportunity by becoming digital transformation experts.</li> <li>Pervasive connectivity and smart devices are fueling transformative innovation.</li> <li>Insight-driven tools can provide a 360° industry wide view that helps engage customers, empower employees and optimize operations.</li> <li>Collaboration across the digital ecosystem is driving growth in every sector.</li> </ul> <p>Whether evolving an existing device, bringing an innovative concept to life or looking for ways to extend their reach into new markets, this while paper sheds light on what’s possible for and why it’s imperative to start the transformation<strong><em> now</em></strong>.</p> <hr /> <p><a href="#_ednref1" name="_edn1">[i]</a> IDC, 2016</p> <p><a href="#_ednref2" name="_edn2">[ii]</a> McKinsey, How IoT Can Support A Dynamic Maintenance Program, 2016.</p> <p><a href="#_ednref3" name="_edn3">[iii]</a> Andrew Burger, “IDC: Internet of Things Base to Reach 30 Billion in 2020,” Telecompetitor, November 7, 2014, <a href="http://www.telecompetitor.com/idc-internet-of-things-base-to-reach-30-billion-in-2020/">http://www.telecompetitor.com/idc-internet-of-things-base-to-reach-30-billion-in-2020/</a>.</p> <p><a href="#_ednref4" name="_edn4">[iv]</a> Steven Norton, “Internet of Things Market to Reach $1.7 Trillion by 2020: IDC,” <em>WSJ</em>, CIO Journal, June 2, 2015.</p> <p><a href="#_ednref5" name="_edn5">[v]</a> Daryl C. Plummer, Martin Reynolds, Charles S. Golvin, Allie Young, Patrick J. Sullivan, Alfonso Velosa, Benoit J. Lheureux, Andrew Frank, Gavin Tay, Manjunath Bhat, Peter Middleton, Joseph Unsworth, Ray Valdes, David Furlonger, Werner Goertz, Jeff Cribbs, Mark A. Beyer, Alexander Linden, Noah Elkin, Nick Heudecker, Tom Austin, Angela McIntyre, Fabio Chesini, and Hung LeHong, <em>Top Strategic Predictions for 2017 and Beyond: Surviving the Storm Winds of Digital Disruption</em>, Gartner, October 14, 2016, <a href="https://www.gartner.com/doc/3471568?srcId=1-7484470122">https://www.gartner.com/doc/3471568?srcId=1-7484470122</a><u>.</u></p> ]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">21693</post-id> </item> </channel> </rss>