Internet of Things or just M2M on steroids?
With all the hype building around the Internet of Things (IoT), the Future of Wireless Conference in Cambridge on the 1 & 2 July asks the question; is the Internet of Things truly different, exciting and innovative – or just a renaming of Machine-to-Machine (M2M) technology with a consumer focus?
“The idea of one device talking to another device has been around for years and M2M typically allows computing sensors to communicate or relay information,” says Paul Green, technology and marketing director at Arkessa who will be hosting a session at the conference challenging the popular view of the IoT. “The Internet of Things is not about simply about adding billions more connected devices, it is about harnessing and interacting with information from real objects along with contextual data and other content from the web as we currently know it.”
While the next disruptive development will certainly see the majority of internet traffic generated by 'things' rather than by human-operated computers, it is not particularly meaningful to focus on the numbers of connections but more important to look at how to create value from the data and content generated. There is no point in connecting devices just for the sake of it; doing so ultimately needs to create value that people are prepared to pay for.”
So while smart systems may develop into smart cities, how can apparently unrelated multiple data sources combine to create new services and real benefits; and can this be achieved without losing privacy or giving away control to global corporations? “While connected ‘things’ may produce a deluge of data, it will not become useful information unless humans can access and engage with it,” says Mark Lister, Managing Director of Imano who will be on the panel. “The human interface needs to deliver clarity, comfort and confidence and be able to distil huge amounts of data to provide immediate and valuable insight to the user.”
Other speakers in the session will include Rob Barnes, Senior Director, Java Project Management at Oracle who will be talking about the IoT in transition and Chris Barnes, Head of Engineering for Clearview Traffic who will look at the role of the App in the IoT. “M2M is not the Internet of Things, but a subset of the Internet of Things. There is a fundamental difference here and M2M and IoT must not be confused as the same thing,” says Barnes.
Other speakers at the 5th Future of Wireless International Conference organised by Cambridge Wireless - the not-for-profit industry forum with a network of nearly 400 members involved in the development and application of wireless technologies –include Mike Short Vice President of Public Affairs, at Telefonica Europe; Warren East, outgoing CEO of ARM; Stuart Orr, Managing Director, Communications Industry, Accenture; Seigmund Redl, Vice President and General Manager Corporate Marketing Europe at MediaTek; Rolf Meakin from PWC; John Cunliffe, CTO Ericsson Western & Central Europe; Steve Townsend, Group CIO, Transport for London; Frank Mackel, UK Managing Director, Rohde & Schwarz; Moray Rumney, Lead Technologist, Agilent Technologies; Paul Green, Technology & Marketing Director, Arkessa; Nello Cristianini, Professor of Artificial Intelligence, University of Bristol; Andy Bovingdon, VP Product Marketing, Bango; Robin Duke-Woolley, Beecham Research; Dr Ekta Sood, Clinical Director, Hildago; Rob Barnes, Senior Director, Oracle; Stephen Deadman, Head of Legal Privacy, Vodafone.
Cambridge Wireless is partnering with UK Trade and Investment and ICT Knowledge Transfer Network, while sponsors of The Future of Wireless International Conference include Accenture, Qualcomm, MediaTek, PwC, Ranplan, Rohde & Schwarz, TTP, Microlease, Cambridge Consultants, S-Tech Insurance, IC Group, InterDigital, Arkessa, u-blox AG, Freescale, Jaltek Group, Broadcom, Anite, Microwave Marketing, Argon Design, Real Wireless and NVIDIA.
For more information, please visit http://www.cambridgewireless.co.uk/futureofwireless
Peter Rennison or Allie Andrews
PRPR
01442 245030, [email protected] / [email protected]
Cambridge Wireless
01223 422365, [email protected]