Machine to Machine

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M2M refers to data communications between machines. M2M is most commonly translated as Machine-to-Machine but has sometimes been translated as Man-to-Machine, Machine-to-Man, Machine-to-Mobile and Mobile-to-Machine. Like all evolving technologies, its definition continues to evolve, but it generally refers to telemetry or telematics that is accomplished using networks, especially public wireless networks.

In the past, telemetry systems were the exclusive domain of very large well financed organizations. NASA used telemetry extensively from the very beginning of the space program and which was probably one of the first applications. Large oil and gas companies and electric utilities, through the use of extensive customer built dedicated data networks, were a couple of the first private organizations to use telemetry.

M2M can also mean the family of sensors, middleware, software and applications that help improve efficiency and quality by tying together a myriad of sensors with mission critical applications like asset management, ERP, and CRM.

In recent years, the cost of access to public wireless data networks (CDMA, GPRS, Mobitex, etc.) has been dropping while the capabilities of these networks continues to increase. M2M generally refers to technology that leverages these networks to bring telemery to a much wider audience. In addition, M2M sometimes refers to similar leveraging of the internet. In this case, the term is more or less equivalent to another term, Pervasive Internet.

As the scope of M2M has evolved, other terms like Machine to Human (M2H) and Machine to Enterprise (M2E) are starting to emerge to segment the pervasive nature of the M2M term. The M2M device, software, network, and service market is expected to grow rapidly world wide between now and 2010. Some estimates suggest the 2010 world market may exceed $300B in annual revenue. Where as there are some 500 M computers in the world and 1.5 B cell phones & PDAs, it is estimated there are more than 38B other electronic devices that have information perhaps relevant to improving an enterprises operation. The M2M market strives to connect these devices to corporations, governments and institutions.

1 Examples
2 External links
- 2.1 Open M2M Protocols
- 2.2 Open Source M2M Software

[edit] Examples

The key pieces of a typical M2M system include:

A device or group of devices capable of replying to requests for data contained within those devices or capable of transmitting data contained within those devices autonomously.
A communications link to connect the device or group of devices to a computer server or another device.
A software agent, process, or interface by which the data can be analyzed, reported, and/or acted upon.
Software Intelligence.

[edit] Enterprise Infrastructure Management

Ability of the M2M solution to interoperate with existing management systems as well as the entire M2M value chain.

[edit] Data Center

Increase data center reliability by connecting all the IT and building automation system assets. Integrate them into a single universal data log. Leverage data log to evaluate trouble conditions that are interrelated between disparate subsystems.
Assure COBIT/ITIL compliance by tying data center operational process with the specific IT and non IT devices that are manage by the process. Validate that employees are meeting service level agreements by responding in a timely and effective manner.

[edit] Oil & gas

A manufacturer of instrumentation for producing well sites may use M2M to enable its customers to remotely collect data on flow rates, pressures, temperatures, tank levels and equipment status as an alternative to manual, on-site data collection.
A manufacturer of injection pumps for producing wells may use M2M to give its customers a means to adjust the pump operation remotely in response to well and weather conditions as an alternative to on-site adjustment.

[edit] Manufacturing

A manufacturer of machinery for preparing shipping packages may use M2M to remotely monitor its equipment to detect failures, to schedule optimal preventive maintenance, and to track consumption of packaging chemicals as an alternative to manual inspection by its field service technicians or the customer's equipment operators.

[edit] Facility Management

A building operator can use M2M to monitor equipment operation, energy use and maintenance. This data can then be used to optimize operations and reduce energy costs.
Wirelessly monitor the status of portable fire extinguishers throughout a campus. Eliminate the need for manually verify pressure gauge, while also being alerted if the extinguisher is discharged

[edit] Transportation

A system integrator may use M2M as part of a system to retrofit roadside signs with a means to remotely add federally mandated emergency alerts and Amber Alerts to multiple signs at the same time as an alternative to manually programming signs on-site.
A classic example of this is the OnStar system provided by General Motors. A onboard sensor will notify OnStar when there is a problem with the vehicle - e.g an accident, a system failure. These systems are becoming common in most high end cars.
Supply chain - On board sensors in the cold chain (supply chain for frozen foods) can monitor the temperature of produce/frozen goods as it is being transported. The onboard M2M sensors send in the temperature data and notify the user when they go out of bound.

[edit] Healthcare

A system integrator may use M2M to collect data from remote diagnostic equipment in a patient's home (i.e., blood pressure, weight, glucose level) or using a mobile device as an alternative to the patient visiting a medical facility or a medical paraprofessional visiting the patient in his home.

[edit] Insurance

A manufacture of security systems may use a network of interconnected sensors to generate alarms to notify proper authority of system breach. Such verifiable systems may help insurers to provide competative policies.

[edit] Blogs

[edit] External links

LBS Insight Free news resource on wireless m2m related subjects
Berg Insight Analyst house with focus on wireless M2M. Many interesting white papers on the subject
M2M Magazine