Wireless Sensor Networks Looking for "Killer App"
This blog has been touting the promises of Wireless Sensor Networks since February of 2005. It was predicted back then that WSN would be a disruptive technology that changed the way we viewed the world. Today, market research still predicts that the WSN revolution is "just around the corner". The reality is that the technology is no closer to commercial adoption that it was over three years ago when this blog began. EETimes.com had an interesting article today that sheds some light as to why - just like every other new technology, it needs a "killer app".
The article discusses a UK study that concluded that commercial adoption has been slow. It is the traditional sensing applications that are currently commercially exploiting the advantages of wirelessly networked sensors. There have been very few new uses of the technology. The report goes on to suggest that now that the major system integrators are getting involved, the new expertise in the field will drive further adoption. I am not sure I really agree with that.
Having been in the WSN field for nearly 4 years, I have learned that there is a much bigger problem - MONEY. No one wants to pay for the development of the "Killer App". Integrators will learn the technology, but will only integrate it when they are paid to do so. For the most part they don't develop commercial applications. The traditional sensing markets are very stuck in their ways. They have wired sensors and SCADA systems that work and are reliable. Often these systems monitor critical systems where saftey is a huge concern. So why would they add risk by adopting something new with unproven reliablily?
WSN is a great technology, but that's just it. Its another technology. The technology alone doesn't do anything, it needs to be applied. And for most of the things that it can be applied to, there is often a cheaper, lower-tech, more reliable method.
I still believe the technology has the potential to be disruptive, but its going to take a lot of money and a big leap of faith to develop that Killer App. Until then, everyone is stuck waiting on the sidelines for the game to begin. If Google or Apple are not pushing it, it might be a long time before the technology really takes off.
The article discusses a UK study that concluded that commercial adoption has been slow. It is the traditional sensing applications that are currently commercially exploiting the advantages of wirelessly networked sensors. There have been very few new uses of the technology. The report goes on to suggest that now that the major system integrators are getting involved, the new expertise in the field will drive further adoption. I am not sure I really agree with that.
Having been in the WSN field for nearly 4 years, I have learned that there is a much bigger problem - MONEY. No one wants to pay for the development of the "Killer App". Integrators will learn the technology, but will only integrate it when they are paid to do so. For the most part they don't develop commercial applications. The traditional sensing markets are very stuck in their ways. They have wired sensors and SCADA systems that work and are reliable. Often these systems monitor critical systems where saftey is a huge concern. So why would they add risk by adopting something new with unproven reliablily?
WSN is a great technology, but that's just it. Its another technology. The technology alone doesn't do anything, it needs to be applied. And for most of the things that it can be applied to, there is often a cheaper, lower-tech, more reliable method.
I still believe the technology has the potential to be disruptive, but its going to take a lot of money and a big leap of faith to develop that Killer App. Until then, everyone is stuck waiting on the sidelines for the game to begin. If Google or Apple are not pushing it, it might be a long time before the technology really takes off.
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