November 2014

Letter from the Editor
George Pappas,
University of Pennsylvania

Dear ECEDHA Members, Industry Partners, and Colleagues,

Over the past year, there is a lot of discussion regarding the Internet of things (IoT).  IoT is the idea that physical things, sensors, actuators are coming online, and connecting them to our smartphones and cloud computing. IoT has been embraced by Silicon Valley as well as many companies in ECE fields.  General Electric has launched the Industrial Internet, Intel has an IoT group, and Cisco calls it Fog Computing (cloud computing but closer to the ground).  Then there is the Internet of everything (IoE) as well as the Trillion Sensor Challenge, where the goal is to have seven trillion sensor for seven billion people by 2017.  Even giant software companies, like Google, Facebook, and Amazon, are starting to invest heavily in hardware again.  All this attention has caused Gartner to put IoT on the very top of their famous 2014 Hype Cycle chart.

Current Views
Barry Sullivan
Barry Sullivan, ECEDHA

IoT, CPS, and ECE

 

The task of selecting news items for the "ECE in the News" section usually falls to me.  For the November issue of the ECE Source, however, we are fortunate to have selections from George Pappas, this month's guest editor.  George has identified several articles related to the Internet of Things (IoT), the theme of this issue. 
 

>> Read more

Featured Articles
Building Blocks for the Internet of Things

By Kumar Balasubramanian, General Manager of Intelligent Solutions, Intel Corporation
  
The Internet of Things (IoT) is transforming industries across the globe.  By connecting billions of devices to the Internet, each other, and the cloud, businesses can save trillions of dollars each year in operating costs (Source: McKinsey Global Institute*, 2013).  Yet the growth of IoT has not accelerated as quickly as it could due to market fragmentation and a shortage of end-to-end solutions.  Most solutions have been too narrow in scope or too inflexible, limiting their ability to scale (Source: Moor Insights & Strategy, June 2013).  One factor driving these issues is the prevalence of legacy equipment.  According to IMS Research, legacy devices constitute more than 85 percent of today's equipment.  Many of these devices were designed as stand-alone equipment because interoperability was not a priority at the time.

 

Research Directions for the Internet of Things

By John A. Stankovic, Life Fellow, IEEE

Many technical communities are vigorously pursuing research topics that contribute to the Internet of Things (IoT).  Nowadays, as sensing, actuation, communication, and control become even more sophisticated and ubiquitous, there is a significant overlap in these communities, sometimes from slightly different perspectives.  More cooperation between communities is encouraged.


 

The Swarm at the Edge of the Cloud

By Lee, Rabaey, Hartmann, et al., 2014

Over the past two decades, there has been a growing realization that large numbers of sensors dispersed into the environment can help to solve societal-scale problems.  These sensory swarms (as they were called by Jan Rabaey in a keynote talk at the Asia and South Pacific Design Automation Conference in 2088) can be wirelessly interconnected and interact with the cyber cloud, and offer an unprecedented ability to monitor and act on a range of evolving physical quantities.  Such pervasive observations and measurements enable unprecedented learning and modeling of the physical world under dynamically changing conditions.


 

Sponsored Article


TI, Mouser Sponsor Collegiate Engineering Challenge

By Mouser Electronics

Mouser Electronics Inc., the global authorized distributor with the newest semiconductors and electronic components, has teamed with Texas Instruments to create an opportunity for engineering students to get some invaluable real-life experience in electronic design and problem solving, and perhaps win some serious money in the process.

 

ECE in the News
Looking for the Key to Security in the Internet of Things
By Mark Anderson (September 16, 2014, IEEE Spectrum)
  

As the number of Internet connected-devices in any home skyrockets from a few, to a few dozen, to perhaps even a few hundred - including interconnecting thermostats, appliances, health and fitness monitors and personal accessories like smart watches - security concerns for this emerging Internet of Things (IoT) will skyrocket too.

>> Read more

 

The IEEE P2413 Would Span IoT Technologies for All Industries
By Stephen Lawson (September 19, 2014, ComputerWorld.com)
 

The IEEE is embarking on an ambitious effort to build an overarching architecture for the Internet of Things, spanning a multitude of industries and technologies.  IEEE P2413, which the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers officially started work on in July, would form a framework for interoperability among connected devices and related applications in home automation, industrial systems, telematics and all other sectors that are expected to use IoT in the coming years.
>> Read more

 

Does the Internet of Things Need Its Own Network?
By Gail Dutton (July 3, 2014, Forbes.com)
 

As billions of Bluetooth-enabled mattresses, toothbrushes, dog collars, soccer balls - you name it - join the Internet of Things (IoT), the networks that bind them to smartphones, tablets and other devices inevitably will become crowded, leaving current Internet capacity inadequate to handle the influx.  French Internet service provider Sigfox says the solution is to build a separate network specifically for "things."
>> Read more

 

On the Internet of Things, Nobody Knows You're a Dog
By Tam Harbert (June 19, 2014, IEEE Spectrum)
 

What do a dog packing a microprocessor, sensors, and batteries in its harness, a 2-meter-tall robot, and drones have in common?  They, along with some 600 humans, attended the SmartAmerica Expo last week at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, in Washington, D.C.
>> Read more

 

G.E.'s 'Industrial Internet' Goes Big
By Quentin Hardy (October 9, 2013, NYTimes.com)
 

The more General Electric gets into its plan for an "Industrial Internet," the bigger it seems.  On Wednesday, the company announced 14 more products that combine industrial equipment, Internet-linked sensors and software to monitor performance and analyze big streams of data.
>> Read more

 

Special Announcements
Now Accepting Nominations for the
2014 ECEDHA Awards!  

As a reminder, ECEDHA is now accepting nominations for its 2014 Awards. Nominations are due January 1, 2015 and will be presented at the ECEDHA Annual Conference and ECExpo in March. View more details.
  
Outstanding Leadership and Service Award
  
Innovative Program Award

Diversity Award

Industry Award

 

Corporate Features
ECE Spotlight

Captured live at the 2014 ECEDHA Annual Conference, ECE Spotlight Sessions offer the opportunity to view short corporate presentations and to learn more about what these companies can offer you.

Featured ECE Spotlight Session: 







Presenter: Coby Kleinjan, Director of Special Accounts and Educational Sales, Mouser Electronics
 
ECE Perspectives
 
ECE Perspectives offer in-depth interviews with leading industry executives.
 
Featured ECE Perspectives:
 

 


 

Fernando Mujica
Director, Autonomous Vehicles R&D
Texas Instruments
  

Upcoming ECE Webinar
Beyond Office Hours: Four approaches to enrich student engagement

December 4, 2014   2:00pm ET

 

Do you struggle to manage the flood of emails and the barrage of exam questions in your STEM class?  Are you curious about new technologies to drive engagement in and out of the classroom?  Learn how four innovative STEM professors are using technology to drive better student and professor outcomes with no money and very little time investment.


 

 

Produced by: 

ECEDHA
  
In This Issue

Calendar of Events
November 6, 2014
ECEDHA Annual Survey OPEN for Collection
December 4, 2014
Sponsored by Piazza
December 11, 2014
Sponsored by ANSYS
January 1, 2015
March 13, 2015
ABET Workshop
Presented at the ECEDHA Annual Conference and ECExpo
March 13, 2015
Cybersecurity Workshop
Presented at the ECEDHA Annual Conference and ECExpo
March 13-17, 2015
2015 ECEDHA Annual Conference and ECExpo
The Westin Hilton Head Island
Hilton Head, South Carolina
On Demand Webinar
Sponsored by Quanser
On Demand Webinar
Sponsored by COMSOL
ECEDHA News
ECEDHA is pleased to welcome our newest Corporate Member!


ECEDHA Annual Survey - Now Open!

The ECEDHA Annual Survey opens for data collection beginning November 6, 2014.
  
Please watch your email for important information on how to participate.

Please note: your 2014 ECEDHA membership must be renewed in order to be eligible for participation.
Last Call - 2014 Membership Renewal

If you have not yet renewed your 2014 ECEDHA membership, now is your final opportunity.

ECEDHA membership runs on a calendar year beginning January 1 - December 31.


For questions, please contact Megan Bekolay at mbekolay@ecedha.org

Save the Date!

 

2015 ECEDHA Annual Conference and ECExpo

 

March 13-17, 2015

The Westin Hilton Head Island

Hilton Head, South Carolina

 

ECEDHA Member and Partner News
IEEE Standards Education Committee - Grant Opportunities

 

IEEE would like to highlight the opportunity for college students and faculty to receive grants for design projects using technical and industry standards.

 

The IEEE Standards Education Committee offers grants for undergraduate and graduate students for use in design projects and capstone projects that include technical standards.  Students will receive $500.00 to help with their projects and faculty advisors/mentors will receive a $300.00 honorarium after the students complete the project and the Standards Education Committee Accepts their final Student Application Paper.

 

Applications can be submitted at any time throughout the year.  Technical standards used in the students projects do not have to be IEEE Standards.

 

>> Read more

 

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