Electronics giant Bosch has launched its own cloud computing software, bringing together its IoT offering.
The first Bosch IoT Cloud, which is located in Germany, lets the company run various applications for connected mobility, industry and homes.
“As of today, we offer all the ace cards for the connected world from a single source. The Bosch IoT Cloud is the final piece of the puzzle that completes our software expertise. We are now a full service provider for connectivity and the internet of things,” said Bosch CEO Volkmar Denner at the Bosch ConnectedWorld conference in Berlin on Wednesday 9 March 2016.
Bosch claims it is now the only company worldwide that is active on all three levels of the internet of things offering key technologies that enable connectivity such as sensors and software and is also developing new services on this basis.
“A major factor in the success of connected solutions is their scalability. Business models must be able to grow quickly when necessary. The Bosch IoT Cloud means Bosch now has the relevant infrastructure. We see this as a major milestone for Bosch,” added Denner.
The Bosch IoT Cloud comprises of technical infrastructure as well as platform and software offerings. Throughout 2016, Bosch will use the Cloud for in-house solutions and will begin to roll out the service to other companies from 2017.
At the core of the Bosch IoT Cloud is the company’s own IoT Suite, which identifies objects that are web-enabled, orchestrates the exchange of data, and facilitates a multitude of services and business models. Big data management allows large amounts of data to be analysed. The Bosch IoT Cloud currently connects more than five million devices and machines.
Smart asparagus sensors and tool trackers
Bosch has already launched numerous products and solutions for the connected world, and the IoT Cloud helps to bring this together. The Cloud works for a number of different business models and solutions spanning Bosch’s connected mobility, industry and homes.
Below are some of Bosch’s current Internet of Things projects:
1. Connected mobility
Sensors detect available park-and-ride spaces
Finding a parking space in a hurry is an issue that many face on a daily basis. Bosch is making the hunt for a parking space easier for commuters. They currently run a pilot scheme at 15 park-and-ride facilities across Stuttgart, Germany. Sensors fitted in the park-and-ride facilities can detect whether parking spaces are available or occupied. The data is sent to the Bosch IoT Cloud and fed into an up-to-the-minute map of available parking spaces, which is then made available through an app and website, saving valuable time for commuters. Installation began this year and will continue through to June 2018. If successful this system can be rolled out to other cities across the world.
Parking spaces for tired truckers
With rest areas for truck drivers often overfilled, especially at night when the risk of theft increases, Bosch is offering logistics companies, fleet operators, and truckers a book-and-park service. This provides secure parking spaces that truck drivers can book in advance based on location data and a parking request sent from the truck. The system will be running in the Bosch IoT Cloud from summer 2016.
2. Connected industry
How to monitor transport crates
“TraQ” (tracking and quality) is Bosch’s Industry 4.0 solution designed to address product quality after the manufacturing process. It allows product quality to be tracked along the entire supply chain, all the way to the customer. Sensors installed in the packaging, or even in the product itself, record information such as temperature, vibration, light and humidity levels, which are all then sent to the cloud. Software in the cloud compares the readings with permitted levels. If one of these levels is exceeded, an alert is sent to customers, suppliers, and service providers. The sensors also transmit information on position, which allows expected arrival times to be calculated and thus transport management to be optimised. The sensor solution is expected to have its market launch in 2017.
Wireless sensors for high-quality asparagus
Bosch is improving commercial asparagus yields with connected radio sensors, which can monitor the soil temperature to ensure farmers keep it at an optimum for asparagus growth. To assist them in maintaining the correct temperature, the Bosch start-up Deepfield Robotics has developed a solution that consists of several sensors embedded at various depths in the ground to measure the temperature. Cables send the temperature readings to a small box, which transmits the data via radio to the Bosch IoT Cloud. From there, the data is routed to an app on the farmer’s smartphone.
3. Connected home
Safety and comfort in smart homes
The Bosch Smart Home System lets users connect their home’s heating, lighting, smoke alarms and appliances via a single platform and then operate them simply using a smartphone or tablet. At the heart of the system is the controller, which connects everything with each other and the internet. All data generated by the smart home is stored in the smart home controller, meaning customers retain control over their own data and is only transferred to the internet when the user calls it up on their smartphone.
Efficient heating maintenance: HomeCom Pro
The Bosch HomeCom Pro online portal connects service technicians directly with their customers’ heating systems. The portal shows technicians the status of the heating system at a glance – together with any servicing work that has already been carried out. In the event of a breakdown, the system allows technicians to troubleshoot problems and suggests repairs. Heating experts then know which steps to take, and can bring the right replacement parts on their first visit.
TrackMyTools: Where did I leave my drill?
Workers never have to worry about if they have misplaced their tools. TrackMyTools works by affixing a small Bluetooth module to the tools, with the module transmitting a signal every eight seconds that can be picked up within a radius of 30 metres by smartphones or tablets running the TrackMyTools app. The mobile device then transmits this information to the cloud, together with details of the time, the user, and the most recent location data for the equipment in question.