M2M: When machines talk back, it's a good thing

M2M will change the world more than most people realise. The key reason for this is that so many different industries will experience efficiency gains from M2M. A recent article on manufacturing.net looks at M2M development and which sectors will be effected the most over the next 5 years.

Machine-to-machine (M2M) communications, interconnecting physical assets with each other and with people, is predicted to exceed $250 billion by 2010, according to Harbor Research estimates cited at the recent “M2M In Action: Strategy Summit & Networking Event” in Chicago. (No current M2M market value was provided.) Whatever the number, the enormity seems understandable, since M2M seems to incorporate residential, commercial, personal device communications, as well as multiple industrial categories, including industrial networks, wireless communications, data acquisition, monitoring, human-machine interfaces, and the related hardware, software, and services, across all industries.

Colesmyer printer health monitored inside the matrix

Coles Myer have jumped on the M2M train and

allowed 300 of its printers to be analysed from one central PC to make sure each individual one has sufficient paper and the correct configuration

accoriding to an article in idm.com. The system can record the ribbon life and paper levels of each printer and send email and SMS alerts to the key staff when things need to be topped up or fixed.

IBM Master Inventor Will Discuss the Future of M2M ...

This years M2M United Conference is being held in Chicago on June 27-29. The keynote speaker for this conference is IBM's Andy Stanford-Clark. Stafford heads pervasive messaging technologies for IBM as well as being “Master Inventor” of the IBM Academy of Technology.

The purpose of this conference is to bring together users and developers of M2M technology and increase industry awareness and market growth through education, demonstrations and networking.
M2M United is sponsored by M2M magazine. The 3 day long even will features a full lineup of activities designed driving efficiencies and value.

Cell ID: Orange Claim 'GPS-Beating' Location Service

GSM-based tracking service is both both cheaper and easier to use than GPS technology. Mobile operator Orange has now released its Cell ID service which enables tracking within 500M.

This service is predicted to take off over the next year for tracking of assets.

The system helps pinpoint devices by their location in relation to mobile phone cells.

Rise of the machines. M2M set to take off.

Machines are starting talking to each other with the aim of making life better for us, rather than taking over the world.

Machine-to-machine communications is not new however with significant cost reductions it is really starting to take off.

M2M can now provide automatic updating of signs, service updates of office equipment and even remote monitoring control over door access via the GSM network.

M2M is popping up everywhere, in buses, fleet management and home automation. Customers do it for one reason, and then having implemented it, they find new things they can do.

Research and Markets: the M2M Adoption Forecast: Adoption Patterns and Market Projections

A new report forecasts that "the M2M arena will reach a critical inflection point in as little as 24-30 months". Research and Markets forecast that the global M2M market will reach $250B in 2010.