Edge computing is a decentralized alternative to cloud computing that uses a number of smart devices around the “edge” of a network to store data. With the rise of 5G and the Internet of Things (IoT), edge computing is expected to provide numerous benefits to organizations. Such benefits include shorter latencies, improved security, more affordable costs, and responsive data collection. According to a recent report from the research and consulting firm Frost & Sullivan, 90% of industrial enterprises will be using edge computing by 2022.

“To remain competitive in the post-cloud era, innovative companies are adopting edge computing due to its endless breakthrough capabilities that are not available at the core,” David Williams, managing principal at AHEAD, told the Enterprisers Project.“Such benefits include unparalleled local interactivity, reduced impact from service interruptions, improved privacy and security, and reduced latency.”

The Benefits of Edge Computing

Of all the benefits that edge computing can provide to organizations, lightning fast speed and reduced latency will be the most transformative. Moving large amounts of data across a network is time consuming. Edge computing brings computation closer to the user, making data transfer speeds much faster and less cumbersome.

“With edge computing, data is scrutinized and analysed at the site of production, with only relevant data being sent to the cloud for storage. This means much less data is being sent to the cloud, reducing bandwidth use, privacy and security breaches are more likely at the site of the device making ‘hacking’ a device much harder, and the speed of interaction with data increases dramatically,” writes Mark Seddon, CEO of Pact Global, in Information Age.

How will Edge Computing Transform Industries?

Edge computing is expected to pave the way for a number of technological revolutions, such as virtual and augmented reality for smartphone users, and smart cities with interconnected roadways and autonomous vehicles. Edge computing can also transform the industrial sector. Use cases include preventing equipment malfunction and reducing energy expenditure. Another potential application is “smart farming,” in which large sectors of agricultural production can be automated. This in turn could support farmers in boosting crop yields and reducing waste.

The film and gaming industries may be the first to be transformed by edge computing. Film producers must be able to transfer huge video files shot in high resolution. This process is often impossible to do over the internet. In fact, video files are so massive that most are still delivered by vehicle after shoots, rather than digitally. Slow speeds also make computer animation and rendering for film and games difficult.

To help solve this, Amazon Web Services is developing edge computing infrastructure in Los Angeles—a city home to numerous film and gaming companies. There, the tech giant has established the first of what it calls “AWS Local Zones,” an edge computing initiative that delivers low-latency access to Amazon Web Services, the company’s cloud computing platform, in “colocation centers,” rather than solely in Amazon’s vast cloud. These “local zones” provide distributed infrastructure that delivers edge computing and low-latency applications to clients. In each AWS Local Zone is an “AWS Outpost,” a rack that contains AWS cloud infrastructure. So far, Amazon has set up two Local Zones in Los Angeles, and aims to ease operations for the film and gaming industries.

Get Close to the Edge

Many organizations don’t fully understand edge computing and the impact it can have on their business. From providing real-time data analysis to reducing system malfunctions, edge computing can be customized to meet an organization’s specific needs.

Prepare your organization for edge computing integration. Designed to train your entire team to support edge computing, IEEE Introduction to Edge Computing is an online five-course program. To learn more about getting access to these courses for your organization, connect with an IEEE Content Specialist today.

Contact an IEEE Content Specialist to learn more about how this program can benefit your organization.

Interested in getting access for yourself? Visit the IEEE Learning Network (ILN) today!

Resources

Hughes, Matthew. (10 September 2020). What Is Edge Computing, and Why Does It Matter? How To Geek.

Miller, Rich. (4 September 2020). How AWS Cloud Customers Are Using Local Zones for Edge Computing. Data Center Frontier.

Seddon, Mark.(26 August 2020). How the edge and the cloud tackle latency, security and bandwidth issues. Information Age.

With the booming Internet of Things (IoT) device market, many people expect to be connected at all times. While it is unrealistic to be online 24/7 with no drops in coverage or speed—especially while travelling—losing connection can be a significant problem for organizations.

Businesses rely on devices and technology such as Wi-Fi and the cloud to remain connected to their data and customers. However, what happens when a business cannot connect? If employees are unable to even check their email inboxes, will productivity grind to a halt?

A possible solution that could help create a permanent connection for IoT devices involves sending data over sound. While this solution involves newer data-over-sound technology over the air, transmitting data via sound is an established practice. The characteristic whines and beeps of the dial-up modem was a form of data-over-sound using wires rather than over the air.

What is Data-Over-Sound?

Companies have been investing in new ways of transmitting data through their devices to ensure they are always securely connected. Sound waves would allow devices to interconnect without the use of Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. The evolution of data-over-sound technology has the real possibility to create network-independent IoT environments with uninterrupted connectivity.

Who Offers Data-Over-Sound? 

Organizations that are currently working on data-over-sound solutions include Sonarax and Stimshop. Sonarax, an ultrasonic communication technology company, revealed its new standard in machine-to machine (m2m) connectivity. It enables devices to communicate with one another via sound waves. The protocol is the most extensive global infrastructure install base, and it operates on any device that has a built-in speaker or microphone.

Sonarax’s solution addresses three main areas:

• Ultrasonic Payments: Helping create secure connections for mobile payments and contactless ATM interaction. Pilot programs for this feature have been deployed at major global financial institutions.
• Ultrasonic Authentication: Providing a safe identification solution that can be integrated and used by any third party application.
• Ultrasonic Indoor Positioning: Allowing indoor positioning in buildings, such as shopping malls and hospitals, where GPS stops working. Sonarax is working to implement its technology for novel indoor navigation functionality at a later date.

Stimshop, an agency in France, offers data-over-sound technology via its protocol Wi-Us. Stimshop’s Wi-Us technology can turn speakers or sound systems into a vehicle for wireless communication, detection, authentication, and geo-location. The company also states that its technology can be used in environments incompatible with radio waves such as explosive environments or those with electromagnetic scrambling issues.

Security Concerns

What are the security concerns when it comes to transferring data via sound? Experts worry that there are apps that can acquire the information sent through the sound waves.

However, Sonarax CEO Benny Saban states that over-the-sound verification between two devices restricts man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks. This type of attack involves hackers trying to interfere with the communication between two devices.

“As in all communication protocols, encrypted data is converted to ultrasonic data and reaches its destination–unchanged–through the same encrypted method by which it was sent,” says Saban. “Essentially, the ultrasonic communication protocol adds an additional layer of security to the first layer of encryption. This means that in order to hack the data, one needs to intercept the sonic data, decipher it, and then decipher the encryption used.”

Preparing for Evolving IoT Technology

Find out what new IoT developments could impact your industry. Prepare your organization with the IEEE Guide to the Internet of Things, a series of eight training courses led by top researchers in the field. This program is designed for professionals working in engineering, IT, computer science, and related disciplines across all industries.

Connect with an IEEE Content Specialist and receive a custom quote for your organization today.

 

Resources

Chandler, Simon. (18 October 2019). How Data-Over-Sound Will Ensure A Permanently Connected IoT World. Forbes.

(27 February 2019). Sonarax Unveils a Novel Ultrasonic Device-to-device Communication Protocol. PR Newswire.

(10 January 2018). When Wi-Fi Won’t Work, Let Sound Carry Your Data. Wired.

Stimshop Mobile Interactions and Data Transfers. Stimshop.