7Applications

The reach of wireless communication in embedded systems continues to grow. Forrester Research, a company that focuses on the business implications of technology change, has reported that in a few short years, up to 95% of devices used to access the Internet will be non-PC devices that use an embedded system.

There are many applications for embedded devices with a Wi-Fi interface:

With reference to the last one, the term Machine to Machine (M2M) refers to technologies that allow both wireless and wired systems to communicate with other devices of the same type. Another characteristic of M2M communication is that this interconnection enables primarily automated communication between distant, remote machines and one or more layers of central management applications. It provides for real-time monitoring and control without the need for human intervention.

According to ABI Research, a technology research and advisory corporation, more than 30 billion devices will be wirelessly connected to the Internet of Things (Internet of Everything) by 2020.

In the wireless M2M space, there are two major classes of interconnections: short range and wide area. The predominant wide area technology applies embedded cellular modules to connect remote devices to the internet or application servers. A cellular module includes many of the same features that you would find in a cellular handset, including voice and data communication, and is ideal for embedded applications.

M2M applications are found within a wide range of industries, these include: automatic meter reading (AMR), vending machines, point of sales (POS) terminals, transport and logistics (fleet management), healthcare, security technology and many other applications.

According to ABI Research, a technology research and advisory corporation, more than 30 billion devices will be wirelessly connected to the Internet of Things (Internet of Everything) by 2020.