Video: iCon - Short range wireless platform for M2M applications
Friday, July 11, 2014
In today's Google Hangout, we're talking to Amtek Technology about the iCon, a short range wireless platform for M2M applications.
Where are you guys from and walk us through what AmtekTechnology is all about? (00:29-00:52)
We’re with Amtek Technology from Toronto, Canada. We do design services, system consulting and managing contract manufacturing.
What is iCon and what does it do? Also, why did you invent it? (00:55-1:46)
When we looked at the consumer market and the industrial control market, people are moving towards wireless. They don’t want to be bound by cables. That’s how M2M or the internet of things is becoming a trend and we wanted to get into that market. We looked at a single-point computer, the low-end one and the high-end one, and there seems to be a gap in between. That’s where we thought we could fit in with some wireless capabilities.
Can you show us some use cases of the iCon and show has exactly how it works?
Check it out in action at 1:47-3:32
Give us a brief run-through of some of the hurdles you had inventing the iCon or developing it? (3:37-4:43)
For hardware- I guess the hurdle was picking the right wireless module and determining the right wireless technology we wanted to get into. We looked at Zigby and other radio, they all require an extra piece of hardware to bridge to the IP Network. We decided to stick with the good-old WiFi and Bluetooth, then we evaluated different types of module from different vendors and find the right ties, right price, and the flexibility that we want.
For software- the biggest hurdle was trying to hoard applications and libraries on a system that doesn’t have a memory management unit. You have to be careful about memory fragmentation, memory leaks, as well as the stack size of the application itself.
What’s the future over the next few years for the iCon? (4:48-5:38)
We will stick with the technology that we are using, WiFi and Bluetooth. The next few years, we will concentrate on developing a mobile app framework for phones and tablets so people can pair it with iCon and do remote control.
Also, we will investigate other cloud services like cloud computing and data storage. We will also focus on doing custom design for people who want to roam an operating system with iCon as a module.
On the business side, the price structure is really driven by the volume so we’re working closely with suppliers to drive the price down.
To find out more, call Symmetry Electronics at (310) 536-6190, or contact us online.