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exploring wireless innovation

M achine to M achine c oMMunications

Smart grids What is it? A smart energy grid that intelligently manages the power being generated from renewableor local energy sources with consumer demand for electricity. This could reduce reliance on large powerstations to meet dips in supply and peaks in demand.

How does it work? Electricity companies monitor the consumption of different devices in the homeusing M2M sensors. During peaks in demand for electricity, such as in the early evening, power to certaindevices in the home would be restricted, delaying their start times until later in the evening when thereis less demand for electricity. If M2M is commonly installed in a wide range of domestic products, thentaken together these changes in electricity consumption patterns could signi cantly reduce total peak

demand.How does this compare with today? There is an increasing focus on using new sources of electricpower including wind farms, solar panels and water turbines. A disadvantage of these approaches is thatthey can generate energy at times when it is not in high demand, which makes us reliant on back-uppower stations to manage the peaks. This can be very costly.

What are the benefts? If smart grids are more intelligently matching supply with demand, this couldreduce reliance on expensive power stations and reduce greenhouse gas emissions and a ir pollution.

Timescales: Smart meters are already becoming established, enabling consumers to better monitorand control their energy consumption. This is one step towards fully- edged smart grids that could be inplace in 15-25 years.

By the end of the decade, it is estimated that up to 50 billiondevices will be wirelessly connected to the internet. One of thekey drivers for this increase will be Machine-to-Machine (M2M)communications, which will be used to link devices together overthe internet.

This will go beyond smartphones and tablets, and connecteverything from wearable health monitors, through to electricitygrids, roads and railway networks. The technology has the

potential to deliver some very signi cant bene ts to society.We set out below four different M2M case studies in the areasof agriculture, power, health and transport to help illustrate howthe technology might work in practice; the bene ts they coulddeliver; and a timeframe for when they could become a reality.

Intelligent Transport Systems What is it? Intelligent traf c management systems that control the ow of traf c, reducing congestion,bottlenecks and delays. And cars that communicate with each other, making the ow of traf c smootherand safer.

How does it work? M2M sensors in cars and on the roads monitor the build up of congestion andwirelessly send this information to a central traf c control system, which automatically imposes variable

speed limits that smooth the ow of traf c. This system could also communicate directly with cars,directing them along diverted routes to avoid the congestion and even managing their speed.

M2M sensors could also be attached to the mechanical parts of a car, such as ABS wheel rotation sensorsto measure speed. This information could be wirelessly communicated to nearby cars, which have on-board computers that process and react to this information. Automating the ow of traf c in this waywould reduce congestion and enable traf c to ow much more ef ciently. This could, for example,reduce the shockwave effect when a line of cars brake and accelerate in an uneven manner, which is asigni cant cause of congestion on motorways.

M2M communications could also deliver other bene ts, such as intelligent parking guidance in towncentres. Rather than driving round looking for a space, in the future drivers could be assigned spaces asthey approach and their vehicles guided to the vacant space via the quickest route.

What happens today? Transport systems are already becoming more intelligent, with real-timeinformation on traf c congestion. However, the systems in place such as temporary speed restrictions rely on drivers themselves reacting to information, rather than it being automated.

What are the benefts? The Government estimates that road congestion costs the British economymore than 7bn a year. Reducing congestion by as little as 15% through the introduction of intelligenttransport systems could provide savings of more than 1bn a year.

Equally, by reducing rush hour congestion, the need to build more roads will be reduced, deliveringadditional savings. There are also environmental bene ts, including a reduction in greenhouse gasemissions and air pollution.

Timescales: Commercially available automated cars are likely wit hin the next 10-30 years.

Four case studies in the areas of agriculture, power, health and transport

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