M2M Magazine Article Featuring Mayor Roy D. BuolM2M
IMMO
Connecting people, devices, and systems, M2M magazine is dedicated to helping vertical industry thought leaders realize the value
of machine -to- machine communications through remote monitoring, RFID, sensor networking, smart services, telematics, and
telemetry: the Six Pillars of M2M.
PIONEERS
It takes a little something extra to champion change in the face of uncertainty.
These individuals have what it takes.
They're teachers and technologists, educators and opportunists, entrepreneurs and enthusiasts.
Some are focused on energy, others on automotive; some have the consumer in mind, while
others are tackling healthcare head -on. Their backgrounds are diverse and market segments
varied, but their drive to succeed and vision for achievement couldn't be more comparable.
With each new year comes new opportunity and new challenge, and the 10 individuals named
Pioneers for 2010 carry on the tradition of the men and women honored before them,
championing change and innovation in the M2M (machine -to- machine) technology marketplace.
Looking forward, the task at hand for these individuals is to continue forging new ground in the
face of a changing marketplace. As new markets open up and customer segments expand, the
opportunities become vast, as do the challenges. But what makes these individuals so unique to
begin with is their ability to push forward and forge new ground in the face of adversity.
On the pages that follow we honor 10 individuals that are truly pioneering a new direction in
M2M technology. Check out past Pioneers winners at www.m2mmag.com.
JEFFREY BEZOS ” ROGER DUNCAN GIB StiO" 11 9EAPH RODENBER ARWICK STAG
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ROY BUOL
Jeffrey Bezos
President and CEO
Amazon.com
www.amazon.com
FlBSHMAN
THEW GROWN .
"95bi4ALD SiPEN
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Kindle Starts the Fire
Jeff Bezos, president and CEO, Amazon.com, www.amazon.com,
Seattle, Wash., recently said, `Long -form reading is losing ground to
short-form reading." He continued that long -form remained an
essential way of teaching; some things just can't be condensed to a
short format. The goal at Amazon.com, the company that Bezos
founded, was going to be to provide long -form reading with some of
the best features allowed by the modern era of wireless electronics, all
wrapped up in the ereader known as Kindle. The Kindle has radically
transformed Amazon's ebook sales, which now account for 10% of the
titles it sells.
Bezos has always been interested in anything that can be revolutionized by computers. He
graduated summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa in electrical engineering and computer science
from Princeton University in 1986. Then, in 1994, he designed a business model that leveraged
the Internet's ability to deliver huge amounts of information rapidly and efficiently to create
Amazon.com Inc. But retail was only a start as Bezos saw other areas that could benefit from
computer technology.
A spokesperson for Bezos recalls, "We (Amazon.com) as a company have been thinking about
ebooks for some time. We experimented with them on our site. Several years ago we decided
that if ebooks were going to take off that there needed to be a device that made the experience
of ebooks better."
When Amazon started out to improve upon the book, its bread and butter product in the retail
segment, it knew that an audacious goal had been set for the company. The book has been the
standard since the first century and despite many attempts, there had not been a practical,
portable reader that made reading digital books better than reading physical books. "If we were
going to be successful, we knew that we could not try to 'outbook the book' —we had to take
everything we love about books and add breakthrough modern day conveniences," Bezos'
spokesperson recalls.
She continues, "The number -one design goal for Kindle was to make Kindle disappear. We
wanted people to become so engrossed by the story within that they forget they are reading on a
device. To do this, we set a few requirements for ourselves:
"Kindle had to have ubiquitous wireless access —we had to let customers think of a book,
anywhere they were, and have it in a minute. So we built our own wireless delivery system,
Amazon Whispernet, that makes this possible. Kindle had to offer an engrossing reading
experience —we had to make people forget they were reading on a device. So we gave Kindle an
electronic paper screen that reads like real paper, and a design that makes it easy to hold and
navigate for long -form reading."
The latest version, the Kindle DX with global wireless, now has the convenience of wireless
content delivery in more than 100 countries.
By changing the way people interact with the written word while connecting them wirelessly
throughout the world, Bezos has truly led a pioneering effort in M2M.
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M2M Mayor
In 2009, IBM, www.ibm.com, Armonk, N.Y., announced the first U.S.
city to be part of its Smart City program: Dubuque, Iowa. During the
next several years, sensors, software, and Internet computing will give
the city's government and citizens the digital tools to measure,
monitor, and alter the way they use water and electricity.
The goal, says IBM, is to develop and pilot a systematic mechanism to
give consumers and businesses the necessary information for making
informed decisions about how they consume resources like electricity,
Dubuque, Iowa water, natural gas, and oil. Based on that criteria, it is easy to see why
www.cityofdubuque.org Dubuque was tops on the list, given its track record of successful
public /private partnerships and strong belief in sustainability from both its citizens and
businesses.
Roy Buol
Mayor
Dubuque's effort to become the "Smartest City" represents the work of many people and was led
by one pioneering mayor, Roy Buol, who campaigned on a "sustainability" platform in 2005 and
has been working to keep that promise ever since. "The whole sustainability thing for me really
began when my wife and I started being blessed with children —we now have seven
grandchildren. All the discussion on climate change and its effect really piqued my interest and
the more I got involved in it, read and researched it, the more interest I had in trying to come up
with solutions."
Dubuque developed a citizens' task force, a group that actually developed the sustainability
program and brought it back to the city council for final approval. This, along with the
public /private partnerships it created, was a key reason why Dubuque was chosen for the Smart
City program. According to Buol, "They chose us to model after because they know you need
citizen input and buy -in when talking about putting meters in people's homes and gathering
information. You have to have a population that believes in the benefits of sustainability."
Although the program is just starting, there is a feeling that success will benefit everyone. Buol
sees the potential and has a vision for how it will contribute to lowering energy consumption.
Buol says, "It has tremendous potential to not only change how we view and consume energy
and resources but also how to use realtime information to save money. The individual
homeowner can look at how they use energy and change their behavior based on realtime
information so they can not only reduce usage but save money in the process."
The first phase will involve installing digital water and electricity meters in 250 homes and
businesses. The smart water meters include special low -flow sensing technology from a local
manufacturer that will help the public works department and residences reduce water use and
detect leaks. An estimated 30% of households use water unnecessarily because of undetected
leakage in faucets and toilets.
The smart electric meters will help households track their energy use and conserve. They will be
able to go to a Website and set household temperatures a few degrees cooler in the winter or
warmer in the summer and see the savings in energy use and monthly bills.
Buol was the first Dubuque mayor to join the U.S. Conference of Mayors in the city's 176 -year
history. He joined the mayor's climate protection group and signed onto its climate protection
agreement and then went back to his city council and helped them set the goals that have led
Dubuque to the center of the Smart City movement.
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Roger Duncan
General Manager
Austin Energy The Energy Driver
www.austinenergy.com Austin Energy, www.austinenergy.com, Austin, Texas, is the ninth
largest public power utility in the country with more than $1.2 billion in
annual revenue. The company, which has a goal that 30% of the power it provides by 2020 will
come from renewable resources, is currently at 12% -built on contracts for the annual output of
439 megawatts of wind turbines located in West Texas.
Last year it completed the installation of smart meters for all 400,000 of Austin's electricity
customers, making the utility one of the first in the country with system -wide smart meter
capability. The meters transmit readings via radio and are capable of signaling a power outage
and then confirming once power has been restored.
Roger Duncan, as a two -term Austin City Council member in the early 1980s, helped establish
Austin's conservation and sustainability emphasis. He joined Austin Energy in 1998 as vice
president of conservation, renewable, and environmental policy. Appointed general manager in
2008, today Duncan sets strategy for the utility and has put together its innovation road map.
The "Power Partner Thermostat" program Austin developed is an example of an incentive -based
demand reduction program that delivers significant value to both customers and the utility.
Austin Energy's thermostat cycling program is the largest in the nation with 86,000 customers
participating.
Duncan explains, "We offer radio controlled thermostats to our residential customers and it
allows us, on a hot summer afternoon, to send a signal and cycle the air conditioning units on
and off. The agreement we have with the customer is that during peak periods of energy use we
will cycle their air conditioner off for 10 minutes every thirty minutes."
Duncan notes, "We don't cycle all the air conditioners off at once, we do a third of a system at a
time, we sort of roll it around the city and it has substantial energy savings for us. The summer
of 2009 was very hot and we picked up an average of around 30 megawatts of energy savings
when we trigger the program. One time we cut them all off for 15 minutes, we dropped almost
90 megawatts of power, so it is substantial energy savings for the utility. And when you cycle it
off 10 minutes after every 30 minutes in the afternoon, it doesn't affect the comfort level much
at all."
The thermostats cost the utility about $250 each but, as Duncan says, "When you compare it to
the cost of building a new peaking power plant to cover the 100 megawatts of spikes, that's well
worth the cost."
Duncan majored in philosophy but has always been interested in technology. "I believe there will
have to be a machine interface between the electric grid and the building that will respond to
pricing from the utility and start controlling the building use. What I have said is that, in the
future, buildings themselves will become the energy drivers. When you have intelligent energy
management systems developing the load and determining when load is needed and when
loading can be shed, and you combine that with onsite generation both producing power for the
building and selling power back on the grid, that is the future of energy."
Duncan announced his retirement, effective March 1, 2010. M2M is proud to call him a Pioneer
and wishes him luck in his retirement.
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Hod Fleishman
Co- founder and Chief
of Safety
GreenRoad
www.greenroad.com
Driving Performance
As a stand -up comic will tell you, "It's all in the timing." No matter
what data is collected, if the interpretation and analysis of that data is
delayed, events will happen that could be controlled, but might not be.
In the case of accident data, knowing what happened helps in
preventing it next time, but knowing while it is happening can prevent
it from causing problems the first time. That is one reason for the
products from GreenRoad, www.greenroad.com, Redwood Shores,
Calif.
Hod Fleishman, co- founder and chief of safety, GreenRoad, recalls how
it all started. "The challenge that we were facing was that we wanted
to find a scaleable way of helping drivers drive safer and lower risks.
Our approach can also help drivers reduce emissions and improve fuel economy based on their
driving. We had to find some type of automated, credible way of collecting the information which
describes driver behavior in realtime. That got us thinking about new technology, measure and
feedback, driver behavior, and other options."
There are a wide variety of digital tools available to report on the vehicle's performance and
status at any given time. All cars and most trucks built since 1996 have incorporated an OBD II
(on -board diagnostics, series II) module that provides data streams on many functions of the
vehicle. However, these are vehicle- centric, reporting what the vehicle does or how the vehicle
performs. Fleishman says, "What we're interested in is how the driver is performing. To this end,
there's no need for us to connect to the OBD or any other sensor in the car at all —we use our
own sensors to measure the forces impacting the vehicle. The data that we collect describes a
driver's behavior, not a vehicle's behavior, and the choices drivers make while driving, which
actually define how low- or high -risk they are. This is the information that we're after."
Unlike video -based systems that capture only infrequent extreme events, the GreenRoad service
provides an evaluation of every driving event before a crash occurs. The system provides
immediate feedback to the driver, and provides management with the detailed information and
visibility needed to coach drivers.
GreenRoad Live measures G- forces affecting a vehicle as it is driven. Its sensors analyze up to
120 separate driving events and the data is then transmitted, in realtime, to a set of red, yellow,
and green LED lights in the vehicle to provide the driver with immediate feedback. You know
what is happening —how you are driving —while it is happening, not through a report a week
later.
GreenRoad Live also transmits the safety data via cellular modem to GreenRoad's servers where
overall driving risk and skills are evaluated. Patented algorithms associate risk with vehicle
movement and categories of driving to assess driver safety. This data feed automatically updates
the online reports and analysis available to drivers and fleet managers through GreenRoad
Central. While the data is transmitted over cellular data modems it is also stored locally in the
vehicle's unit in case you're out of cellular coverage for a while.
Fleishman served as CEO for GreenRoad's first four years and now leads partnership
development and drives implementation of data -based safety programs.
He says, "M2M basically makes our approach possible; without M2M it would be impossible to
collect realtime information, on multiple drivers, and give feedback to many drivers
simultaneously."
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Dwight Gibson
Vice President and
General Manager,
Connected Home
Solutions
Ingersoll Rand,
the parent
company of Schlage
www.link.schlage.com
security.
Opening the Door
Security is one of the major applications for M2M in commercial and
industrial use. Although the concept of the "connected home" has been
around for a while, not many companies offer a true M2M approach to
One that does is Schlage, www.schlage.com, Carmel, Ind., with its Schlage's LiNK system. Going
beyond the digital code keypad added to the deadbolt lock, this system adds remote monitoring
via the Internet, alerts to a BlackBerry or iPhone when a door is opened if security is breached, and
multiple accessories connected to the home's wireless network including security cameras and light controls.
Dwight Gibson graduated magna cum laude from Howard University in 1996 and later from
Stanford University with an MBA. At 35, he is vice president and general manager, Connected
Home Solutions, Ingersoll Rand Residential Solutions, and oversees its Schlage Link remote
home - monitoring product. Gibson and his team have delivered Schlage LINK from the drawing
board to the end user, heavily promoting it through television advertising and other media. He
recalls how the company entered the M2M arena. "We introduced an electronic locking product
for the home in late 2006 —it was basically a lock that you didn't need a key for that used a four
digit code. The response we got was so overwhelming in terms of sales that we went from zero
to number -one in the market. But customers started saying, 'Wow this is cool and it would be
even cooler if I could manage it remotely.' That's what got us started."
The other big trigger was Ingersoll Rand's acquisition of Trane, the air conditioning company.
"At that point we started down the path of what we were calling our communicating lock,"
Gibson says. "We thought we had the opportunity to speak to some of the critical needs
homeowners had, being able to not only manage and control access to the home but also being
able to control energy and comfort. The result was Schlage LiNK."
There are three pieces to the LINK system —the device you interact with, a bridge that allows the
devices to communicate within the home network, and the application interfaces you use to get
information or communicate with the lock. According to Gibson, "All the communications
between lock and bridge are encrypted and all the communications between the bridge and the
server are also encrypted. You get a starter kit that comes with one bridge, a lock— either a
deadbolt or a lever —and one plug -in light module. You can add other locks, cameras, a
thermostat, additional lights, and Z -Wave enabled outlets. In fact, anything that you can plug
into an outlet you can control, up to 230 -plus different devices."
The lock itself is battery powered, not dependent upon the electric power system. All the codes
are stored locally on the lock so whether you have power or not you can still get into your home
and it has a key back -up. The lock will even send an email when the battery gets low. In
addition, you can change codes via the Web or a Web - capable cell phone; you can assign
temporary codes, and you can get notification when a code has been used and at what door.
Schlage LINK locks are the first Z- Wave - enabled locks and work seamlessly with more than 300
other Z- Wave - enabled home automation devices including products ranging from lighting and
temperature to pool and spa controls. Schlage recently demonstrated how its wireless keypad
locks can be integrated into a comprehensive home - security solution that works with a variety of
security control panels, all through the Alarm.com, www.alarm.com, Tysons Corner, Va.,
platform, which integrates professional security monitoring services provided by third -party
central stations with Alarm.com's easy -to -use Web and mobile security monitoring tools.
Integration can also be done with other Z- Wave - enabled devices including lighting and the Trane
Remote Energy Management Thermostat.
Gibson is positive on the future of M2M in the home security field, saying, "We really believe this
will be a significant driver or enabler of the future of our business. So M2M is absolutely strategic
for us."
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Matthew Growney
Founder and CEO
Isabella Products
www.isabellaproducts.com
friends and family, the value
A Thousand Words
If a picture is worth a thousand words, how much is an
automatically updating digital picture frame worth?
The digital photo frame, displaying pictures stored in the frame's
memory chip, has been around for a few years. In various sizes,
these products range in price and can be bought anywhere
electronics are sold. But those are simple computer monitors in
disguise, showing photos you have to manually load onto the
device. What if the frame was connected to the greatest storage
facility in the world, the Internet? By adding a cellular connection to
let the frame access an Internet "cloud" filled with photos from
goes sky high —or cloud high at least.
That's precisely what Matthew Growney, CEO and founder, Isabella Products,
www.isabellaproducts.com, Concord, Mass., thought. "The idea was based around connecting the
unconnected," Growney says. "We wanted to connect things like a photo frame and other
unconnected devices to offer a very rich mobile Internet experience.
Isabella has become one of the first true mobile Internet device companies. We don't just deliver
a browser you open up; instead, we worked very hard on our back -end, in what we think is a
very rich fashion, and shuttle images back and forth over the cellular network between this back -
end and a network of devices."
Isabella's Vizit frame is a connected terminal device with a 10.4 -inch LED (light emitting diode)
backlit touchscreen that uses a cloud storage environment, accessed via an individual's account
at VizitMe.com, Isabella's Website where Vizit frame owners can store and remotely manage
their photos. From VizitMe.com, users can build a community of friends and family with whom
they can share photos. Somewhat similar to the social networking ideas of Facebook and
MySpace, friends and family can be "whitelisted" to be permitted to upload photos to your
account to share them with you. The Vizit frame can automatically download the images to
display them at any time.
Growney explains, "We didn't want somebody to have to leave the frame to go to a PC just to
send a photo; we let them send it right from the frame. On the other side, you can send photos
to your frame or that of your friends via regular email when you're already on the PC. The
sharing aspect today is about social networking online, what we've done is connect the analog
version of sharing, our physical frames, with the online richness of being able to basically send
photos within minutes covering thousands of miles very seamlessly."
He adds, "We let the subscriber pull down the content by simply touching the screen. They don't
necessarily know if they have new content, but all they have to do is wake up the device by
touching it and then it queries and pulls down all the new content.
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Dolph Roden berg
President
TED Knows
The growing need for electric power is taxing the capabilities of
many generating facilities across the nation. Utilities are
scrambling to get "smart meters" and the "smart grid" up and
running quickly to prevent brown -outs and blackouts caused by
surges in peak power usage.
While companies like Whirlpool and Austin Energy (see their
Pioneer pages this issue) are making inroads with intelligent
Energy Inc. sensors and meters that can remotely regulate energy
www.theenergydetective.com consumption, individual consumers are being asked to monitor
their electricity use and offered both negative and positive
incentives such as higher peak time rates (negative) and lower off -peak rates (positive). But how
can households know what their electricity usage is on a minute -by- minute basis instead of only
finding out after getting that once a month bill?
TED knows. And Dolph Rodenberg, president, Energy Inc., www.theenergydetective.com,
Charleston, S.C., wants you to listen to TED. TED —short for The Energy Detective —is a simple
yet accurate home energy monitor that allows consumers to see electricity usage in realtime.
With a patented solution to home energy management, TED quantifies electricity and displays
the results on an easy -to -read LCD screen, your PC or Mac, or on a mobile device.
Rodenberg explains his approach by saying, "We believe that technology is growing at an
exponential rate. People want information, and they want it fast. Instead of waiting for a monthly
bill from a utility, we wanted to create a device that would allow customers to view their
electricity usage immediately. (TED) helps customers receive and transfer data in three different
ways: on the wireless display (using ZigBee wireless), through their home computer, or through
their wireless router, a method which allows TED customers to view information remotely. All of
these options allow customers to instantly see their electricity usage, updated every second."
The complete TED 5000 system includes one gateway, one pair of CTs (current transformers),
one MTU (measuring transmitting unit), and the optional TED 5000 Display. Users who choose to
simply access their data via computer can opt for a display -free system. The MTU measures and
transmits energy, power, and voltage to the gateway, the heart of TED 5000. The Gateway plugs
into any outlet in the home, receives and stores data from the MTU, and transmits the data
wirelessly to the display at user - defined intervals. The gateway connects to a computer via
Ethernet for programming /Internet access, as well as downloading detailed energy usage data.
Using M2M technology and business alliances, Rodenberg has moved the consumer into the
future of energy conservation. He notes, "We have partnered with Google PowerMeter in order to
use M2M technology to allow comparison of electricity usage. Once activated, Google PowerMeter
will communicate with the gateway through a wireless router and will collect and store the
information for customers. Because TED's code is open source, we have had a variety of third -
party design applications. In particular, several iPhone applications use M2M technology. In a
very short while, customers will be able to remotely adjust their heating and air conditioning
systems using a TED application while driving home from work to ensure that their home is
warm in winter and cool in summer when they arrive."
In the energy industry, companies are seeking ways to save their customers from the
aggravation of brown -outs and blackouts caused by peak power overloads. But they want to do it
without the cost of building new generating plants while trying to get wind, solar, and alternate
generating facilities in place. People are looking for ways to use less electricity while saving
money. As Rodenberg says, "M2M technology will continue to grow, as can be seen with the
growing popularity of home automation systems."
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Donald Spence
CEO
Rest, Assured
Shakespeare's Hamlet said, "To sleep, perchance to dream ... ay,
there's the rub ... for in that sleep of death what dreams may come ... "
For most, that is poetry, but for many people, the quote speaks to a
daily concern they suffer: sleep apnea. Described as a disruption of
breathing while asleep, sleep apnea is a deceiving sleep disorder -90%
of people who have it don't know that they have it. Although episodes
of choking or gasping for air might occur hundreds of times throughout
the night, the sufferer may not have any recollection of struggling for
Philips Home breath upon waking in the morning.
Healthcare
Solutions Medical science has been working with device developers for decades
www.respironics . com to find a way to monitor the sleep breathing of known or potential
sufferers of sleep apnea. One company that has made inroads towards
a practical solution is Philips Healthcare and its Home Healthcare Solutions division,
www.respironics.com, Murrysville, Pa.
A new wireless, intelligent sleep apnea therapy system is the company's most sophisticated
offering to date. One of the men behind this device is Donald Spence, CEO, Home Healthcare
Solutions, who previously served as the president of the Sleep and Home Respiratory Group for
Respironics. Philips acquired Respironics in 2008.
According to Spence, "We were first to commercialize continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP)
devices for treating obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in 1985. Since that time, we have made
ongoing advancements in sleep therapy. Our new sleep therapy system provides a range of
advanced therapy options, advanced event detection software, and expanded reporting
capabilities with the ability to recognize and report when a patient may be experiencing
symptoms beyond obstructive sleep apnea."
The new system integrates a module that enables two -way communications between the device
and Philips' EncoreAnywhere Web -based platform. The device automatically sends patient data
over the wireless networks to the secure Web portal where doctors can analyze timely, accurate
patient data and instantly change prescriptions.
A new pressure prescription can then be sent over the air to the device, improving treatment
response time, patient outcomes and comfort. Further, medical professionals have easy access
to sleep assessment parameters typically found on diagnostic equipment. HME (home medical
equipment) providers can easily access and report patient usage information that is often
required for reimbursement.
Spence recalls, "Approximately 10 years ago, we integrated smart cards in our CPAP systems to
simplify reporting for home medical equipment providers —our customers —and physicians. From
there, we developed a wired machine that could communicate directly with the HME's computer
much like a fax machine. Soon after, we developed and introduced a wired connection.
"That system worked very well but the challenge became mobility. Since many patients travel for
business or pleasure, the logical next step was a wireless device that leveraged the key
experience and intelligence developed by Philips Respironics' years of innovation. We worked
collaboratively to design the wireless integration with the TC65i module. The new Sleep Therapy
System can be used anywhere a GSM wireless signal is present," he says.
The home healthcare vertical market is poised for growth and Philips Healthcare, with its Home
Healthcare Solutions, is on the verge of becoming a leader in many categories. As Spence notes,
"We are delighted to demonstrate our commitment to developing smart technology that
contributes to improved healthcare. For the future, we envision greater patient access, increased
patient engagement, and better management of chronic conditions in the home."
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The `Smart' Cycle
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, better known
as the economic stimulus bill, made funds available for a variety of
infrastructure projects around the country, including the smart grid
electric system. Grant applications were prepared by thousands of
companies to access funds that could bring both jobs and economic
benefit to the nation. One such company was Whirlpool Corp.,
www.whirlpoolcorp.com, Benton Harbor, Mich.
As part of the U.S. Dept. of Energy's (DOE), www.doe.gov,
Washington, D.C., Smart Grid Investment Grant Program, Whirlpool
received a grant of $19.3 million throughout a two year period —which
Whirlpool Whirlpool will match with its own investments —to help the company
www.whirlpoolcorp.com accelerate its delivery of smart appliances that can connect with the
smart grid. For example, the company announced that in 2011 it would deliver one million U.S. -
manufactured smart dryers capable of reacting intelligently to signals from the smart grid by
modifying their energy consumption. In markets where utilities offer variable or time -of -use
Warwick Stirling
Global Director of
Energy and
Sustainability
pricing, these dryers could save a typical consumer $20 -$40 per year, while also benefitting the
environment.
Warwick Stirling, global director of energy and sustainability, along with Henry Marcy, vice
president of technology, was responsible for getting the smart grid investment grant. By
applying M2M technologies, Whirlpool intends to save both its customers and local utilities
money and electricity. Stirling comments, "Whirlpool has been looking at M2M for more than 10
years. For a long time, we've thought about ways to connect appliances in the home and I think
that the technology has a lot more potential now, and the consumer value proposition is starting
to become a lot more compelling."
Whirlpool is going to be running pilots on 10 different technologies in the summer of 2010 and
then working toward production units being in the market late in the year or by early 2011.
"We're looking at a full suite of products— dishwashers, dryers, refrigerators, and water heaters,"
explains Stirling. "Each of those is slightly different in terms of the way we would want to control
them and do energy management. When we look at M2M, it represents the connectivity piece
and once we have that connectivity, and learn what we can do with it, it will take off. And one of
the applications is smart energy."
Most people don't realize how much power a dryer consumes — anywhere from 4,000 to 6,000
watts during the peak cycle when it's using the heating elements. Stirling notes, "If we need to
do load shedding and the utility sends a signal asking us to shed the load while the dryer is
running, we still want to maintain all the benefits of the dryer without getting clothes wrinkled.
One way to do that is to progressively shut down the heating element; it would be running at
about 200 watts, just tumbling using the residual heat and the drying would continue without
getting the clothes wrinkled. Even so, we've shed at least 4,000 watts — that's a fairly big load
shift. From the consumer's point of view they don't really notice anything different with the
dryer, it's still tumbling; the only thing they would notice is the cycle might take a bit longer."
There are still technology hurdles to be overcome in terms of how the appliances talk to each
other but in general, the executives and a lot of engineers at Whirlpool are very excited about
having connected appliances. As Stirling admits, "Once you connect the appliance, there are
many things you can do so there is a much bigger value -added in terms of the way the customer
uses the product. You really have to work with the power companies, for instance, to get them to
have the sensors in their smart grid to identify when the shedding of energy is necessary and to
notify the smart appliances. We are working with a lot of the leading utility companies across the
country, and we're also working with some of the standards - setting bodies to make this all
happen."
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Doug VanDagens
Director of Connected
Service Solutions
Ford Motor Co.
www.ford.com
In the Driver's Seat
It seems like a long time since we last saw a headline proclaiming a
U.S. car company was leading the pack. But it happened in January
2010 when Toyota, www.toyota.co.jp, Tokyo, Japan, the perennial
leader, was outsold by the Ford Motor Co., www.ford.com, Dearborn,
Mich.
Also in January, analysts claimed sales of in- vehicle technology topped
$9.3 billion in 2009 and Ford reported that 32% of Ford buyers
indicated that Sync, its connected car system, was critical or important
in their purchase decision. Even better news for the company was that
70% of potential customers who took Sync demos across the country
indicated that they were more likely to buy a Ford vehicle.
Ford Sync — developed in cooperation with Microsoft —is a fully integrated, in- vehicle voice -
activated telematics system with such features as 911 Assist, Vehicle Health Report, and GPS-
based features including business search and call completion. 911 Assist will place a call to a
local emergency operator in the event of an air bag deployment.
The latest version of Ford Sync, which will roll out on vehicles this year, adds traffic reports,
directions, and turn -by -turn route guidance into one "connected driver experience" called
MyFord. This new connectivity replaces many traditional vehicle buttons, knobs, and gauges.
With more voice commands, LCD screens that can be customized, and five -way buttons like
those on cell phones and MP3 players, drivers can choose which information is front and center
by a button click, voice command, or touch - screen tap.
One of the guiding lights at Ford for the Sync program is Doug VanDagens, director of connected
service solutions. Though he currently leads a 40- member team at Ford's in- vehicle technologies
group, VanDagens has worked in international operations, business development and joint
ventures, finance, marketing, power train, and vehicle engineering. "I've helped Ford launch
everything from recycling centers to customer call centers and complicated telematics joint
ventures with companies such as Sprint and Qualcomm," says VanDagens. "Wherever I've gone,
I've always looked for the opportunity to develop a new technology or take an existing product,
create a new market for it, and successfully sell it to customers."
When discussing the development of Ford Sync, VanDagens recalls, "In 2002, Ford started a
series of discussions with the wireless companies to learn more about Bluetooth technology,
which at that point wasn't a well - established standard. When Alan Mulally became president and
CEO (of Ford) in 2006, he liked our idea so much Ford set up Connected Services as its own
independent organization."
He continues, "I think one of things that will govern how quickly and how ubiquitously telematics
will emerge in the automotive industry is its relevance —you really have to have a use for it in
the car. For instance, traffic directions, access to businesses, access to contact lists; these are all
things people want in the car. A lot of companies offer some version of telematics just on their
high -end, luxury vehicles with a significant monthly service fee. That's not the Ford way —it's got
to be affordable."
VanDagens and Ford bring telematics to the everyday driver, and the road ahead seems wide
open.
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Tom Inglesby is a contributing writer for M2M magazine.