Several years ago I was introduced to the concept of "M2M" courtesy of Benson Hougland of Opto 22. He was partnering with a division of Nokia to embed cell phone technology into Opto I/O for remote data acquisition applications using the cellular network for broadband in place of proprietary wirless or wired telephone lines. The idea of "machine-to-machine" communcation took off--at least in theory--and a magazine was born called "M2M." There used to be blogs and companies and lots of talk about how there are billions of intelligent devices just waiting to be connected. The first demo project I saw 10 years ago was a Coke machine calling home to say "feed me, feed me."
I've always been suspicious of the hype but curious about when this idea would take off. Peggy Smedley just editorialized in M2M lamenting that so much of the stimulus package involved "M2M" but that Obama never uttered the magic phrase. In fact, only 37 of her own list of top 100 M2M companies actually use the phrase on their Web sites. Recently Advantech sent an email release out that tied back to Intel on this subject. It's name--"Embedded Internet."
Analyst guru of the space, Glen Almendinger of Harbor Research, has been calling the space "Pervasive Internet" for several years. Today I received an email update where he is lamenting the slow uptake of the space that he is now calling the "Internet of Interactions."
I still think there is a lot of value for manufacturing companies and their suppliers that can be gained in this space. I follow a bunch of companies working here--Advantech Automation, Opto 22, Lantronix, Digi, Axeda, Beldon, SmartSignal, Moxa and more. The market was never going to be as huge as the projected billions of devices, but connecting important information sources from machines and processes back to the home or to the OEM has great potential for more efficient plants, improved product development for machine manufacturers, faster response to downtime and many more ideas. But as for calling this something totally different from just an information system--don't think so.
12:34:28 PM 
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