Industrial Wireless Temperature Transmitter Powered by Heat

ABB and Micropelt Prove Thermal Energy Harvesting to Solve the Battery Issue of Wireless Sensors
 
Freiburg, Germany -- March 10, 2010.  Wireless sensors are rather inexpensive and can be deployed almost anywhere. Deploying more sensors would lead to safer and more efficient process control, and much reduced maintenance cost – if cost and effort of battery maintenance could be obviated.

Our U.K. correspondent, Andrew Bond, says that while following the soap opera of the ISA/WirelessHART standards wars may make for a good read, the real action in wireless is happening much closer to home--literally. In the February issue of Bond's  Industrial Automation Insider, he reports that "home automation system shipments will approach 2.8 million in 2011." Here's Bond's take on what these numbers mean, not just for those of us with disappearing tv remotes, but for, perhaps, the factory floor:

Our U.K. correspondent, Andrew Bond, says that while following the soap opera of the ISA/WirelessHART standards wars may make for a good read, the real action in wireless is happening much closer to home--literally. In the February issue of Bond's  Industrial Automation Insider, he reports that "home automation system shipments will approach 2.8 million in 2011." Here's Bond's take on what these numbers mean, not just for those of us with disappearing tv remotes, but for, perhaps, the factory floor:

The commercialization of products based on the ISA100.11a wireless standard took several steps forward at the ARC World Industry Forum this week in Orlando. "ISA100.11a is unique," said GE's Justin Smith to a gathering of industry media, "because its requirements were determined by end users in an open consensus process, with 23 of 24 end-users voting to approve the standard."

"We wanted something that could be enhanced and customized to the needs of every site," said ExxonMobil's Pat Schweitzer and committee co-chair.

Control's ControlTalk author Gregory K. McMillan has put together a new book entitled "Essentials of Modern Measurements and Final Elements in the Process Industry." It is published by ISA Press and can be ordered from www.isa.org/books and from Amazon.com.

The ordering information blurb says:

Here's a reality check for everybody who thinks that the choice is between WirelessHART and ISA100 and Zigbee. This is a press release from Bob Eckery at EnOcean:

EnOcean's Emergence as Wireless Leader Evidenced by Real Shipping Products

Here is a press release from Liz Patronella at the HART Communication Foundation detailing the outcome of the NAMUR testing at BASF Ludwigshafen:

After reminding me that I should ask Emerson when I am going to get my royalty check for naming the THUM, Sereiko ventured into the world of standup: "About the THUM, they really ought to call it the PFIST because it is so big!"

He said it, not me....

One of the other speakers at the ClimateTalk Alliance meeting yesterday was Paul Sereiko, former CEO of Airsprite Technologies, which was one of the first victims of the banking crisis. Paul informed me that his very innovative WirelessHART technology has finally found a new home. "You can tell people that e-Senza Technologies GmbH is acquiring the Airsprite intellectual property. I'm delighted that it has found a home."

I've just received the following press release from Nivis. I'm going to let the release speak for itself, but after you've read it, read down for some commentary and some questions the release raises.

Nivis Releases World's First ISA100.11a Integration Kit

Atlanta, Ga -July 15, 2009 - Nivis LLC, the world's leading developer and integrator of wireless network technologies, is announcing the release of the world's first ISA100.11a Integration Kit. The ISA100.11a Integration Kit will start shipping immediately.