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“stepping back” to think more broadly about connectivity, data, and cloud technology to make the world better.

https://connectivity.substack.com/p/welcome-to-connectivity

Hi! Having been immersed in the world of “smart buildings” for the past ten or so years, first at U.C. Berkeley and then at Comfy , a company I founded and grew, I now have both the time on my hands and an interest in “stepping back” to think more broadly about connectivity, data, and cloud technology to make the world better.

What is this blog about?

Broadly, it’s about connectivity. It’s about how ubiquitous connectivity is changing the world in one way or another; and the technologies that make it possible. Over the years, increasing connectivity has had many names — who remembers “M2M”, “sensor networks”, or “human area networks.” But overall the trend towards “mostly on” connectivity for increasingly small devices at increasingly low prices has been clear.

This blog is about howthat connectivity is achieved, whattechnologies are involved, and particularly, if and whyit’s desirable in the first place. My goal is to delve into topics and questions that interest me; not necessarily to tell a coherent story.

To give you an inkling of what’s in store, some upcoming posts:

• IoT cloud verticals: the new vendor lock-in.

• Machine learning can’t open doors: reality and hype in IoT ML

• Semantic modeling for automation: the future? or dead on arrival.

• What happened to edge computing?

• Backwards buildings: tech in buildings is “behind”… but how much?

I hope you enjoy!

Fast forward (a lot), to today. Most vendors of sensors and primary automation systems (motion controllers, thermostats, PLCs, etc) still rely on the same field-level protocols; but now also offer “cloud adaptors.” GE Current is one example of such a controller — but nearly every vendor now offers a service to connect the on premise offering to the cloud.

https://connectivity.substack.com/p/welcome-to-connectivity