AutomatedBuildings.com Article - Our Next Generation Hardware

Today, IoT is enabling us to expand our reach to a range of devices and hardware that gather and analyze data and react to it in a variety of applications that we’ve never seen before. IoT is allowing us to move from connected devices to connected intelligence and redistribute and process data independently at the edge.

So what is driving our next generation hardware? IoT and all of its promises are flattening the network architecture and have created new requirements for memory. Resource constrained applications are adding connectivity where little to none existed before. We are experiencing a significant shift in the way people acquire information, interact with each other, and make decisions. As the world of IoT moves forward, so does the need for hardware that can handle those connections and the amount of data that is produced. Then there is the growing acceptance of open-source, open programming, open hardware technologies; the support of “edgeware” applications; direct connection to the Cloud and the ability to bring different applications from different providers together.

And of course, there is cyber security. We have seen many companies trying to solve this issue with software security; however as more software is pushed down into hardware and our chipsets grow in complexity, attackers are focusing on hardware. Without ensuring our chipsets and security infrastructure are built in and can be further augmented with additional layers of security; we are leaving the door open.

Our next generation hardware necessitates faster processors, more memory and secured access. It requires a selection of connectivity and capacity options to support a variety of applications with the ability to go beyond simple connectivity to include configuration, management, data storage and device-level application enablement. Also, hardware needs to meet all the technical requirements for interoperable and cross-disciplinary networking for use in all areas of today’s commercial and industrial buildings and tomorrow’s smart cities.

We have moved from vertical, single purpose devices to ones that are multi-purpose that must function in a collaborative environment. Our next generation hardware needs to be even more modular, smarter, more powerful and efficient; incorporate multichip package (MCP) design and have the cognitive capacity and ability to manage intelligently at the edge. In addition, the look and aesthetics of hardware is just as important now as what is inside them. I also believe we will continue to see an increase in POE and improved battery technologies combined with low energy protocols.

[an error occurred while processing this directive] In summary, our next generation hardware necessitates unique memory configurations and the right mixture of density, power, size, performance, reliability, cost, and support.

And finally, are we that far off from a made-to-order model? We know what that did for our hardware’s cousin, the PC.

Marc Petock is Vice President, Marketing at Lynxspring and Connexx Energy where he leads corporate and product marketing strategy and execution, brand management, public relations and communications to support both companies strategic and growth initiatives. Marc is a contributing author, noted speaker and recognized industry leader having earned several industry accolades. Marc serves on the board of directors of Connexx Energy and Project Haystack; is an advisor to the Realcomm Organization and a Contributing Editor to Automatedbuildings.com.

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