Embedded intelligence is characterized as the ability of a product, process or service to reflect on its own operational performance, usage load, or environment to enhance the product performance and lifetime, to increase quality or to ensure customer satisfaction. This self-reflection, facilitated by information collected by embedded sensors, processed locally or communicated remotely for processing, must be considered from the earliest design stage. Embedded intelligence depends on a multidisciplinary approach for successful implementation.
Delivering smarter products, systems or services to industry
Embedded intelligence aims at delivering smarter products, systems or services to industry through their integration and purposeful use for a given application. This integration can be realised by:
Construction whereby integrated assemblies show a... fusion of technologies, as for example in semiconductor integrated circuits and “More than Moore” systems that build directly upon semiconductor devices.
Combination of functions whereby products are allowed to exploit multiple capabilities for improvements in use. An example would be the touch screen that combines actuation with indication.
Connection whereby the propagation of information from one product sub-element, system product or service to another is carried by wires, radio, photonic or other communication media such as sound or chemical signatures.
Embedded intelligence can serve many purposes:
The monitoring of the health and usage of products and high-value assets.
The market appeal and acceptance where a product becomes fashionable, an example of which would be the tablet which regained popularity by the addition of enhanced services, ergonomic design in terms of shape and functionality, and enhanced aesthetics.
The ability for a service, system or product to be used by ageing, disabled or previously socially excluded people.
An application of embedded intelligence: health of high-value assets
High-value products and assets are deployed across a myriad of industrial sectors, ranging from transport, aviation, power networks, etc. Such assets present significant challenges in terms of their design, operation and maintenance due to limitations in the visibility of the assets’ health. The ability to monitor these assets is impeded by aggressive ambient conditions influencing sensor drift and failure, power management and communication issues. Today's networks for transport, and power transmission require integrated sensors that can collect reliable information, transmit it securely, and turn it from data-to-knowledge into action to close the loop. That feedback allows the system/product to build resilience and agility.
Intelligent tags in car manufacturing
When car manufacturers embedded intelligent tags into the majority of their components, temperature, vibration and other essential data can be harvested throughout the lifecycle of a car. The interrogation of fuzzyBayesian network ontologies would enable identification and prediction of faulty components that could be replaced and reengineered to ensure greater reliability. The ontologies could also determine the genres of cars that need to be recalled - given driving history - thus lowering recall costs and enhancing consumer experience.
There is an industry need for trained engineers in electronics systems as further growth is strived for within the UK, as delineated in the recently published “. This report has brought industry leaders and government together to deliver ambitious growth targets that by 2020 will see a further 150,000 people employed in electronic systems, such as those this CDT aims to provide. The report states that the critical shortages in highly trained and skilled employees can be addressed in part by the provision of Centres of Doctoral Training to fund and train PhD students. The Technology Strategy Board’s also identified strategic themes of “Creating innovative products, through the integration of new materials, coatings and electronics with new manufacturing technologies” and “Increasing the global competitiveness of UK manufacturing technologies by creating more efficient and effective manufacturing systems”. The report identified the need for National Competencies, including “Intelligent systems and embedded electronics”. Additionally through the “” report, the TSB are promoting Embedded Systems as a technology that the UK has high capability in and high market potential. Within Europe there is significant investment being made through the ENIAC, Artemis and EPoSS programmes that is set to continue into Horizon 2020 and will see close to €5Billion invested over 7 years. The recent Strategic Research Agenda in Smart Systems Integration of the European Technology Platform also identified Embedded Intelligence as the key enabler in the design and manufacturing of complex products and services.
Predicted revenue from embedded intelligence
While currently it is relatively immature as a technology, the Internet of Things is likely to see the number of connected objects reach 50 billion by 2020. The integration of embedded processors with sensors, intelligence, wireless connectivity and other components with high level operating systems, middleware and system integration services is regarded as a new breed of electronics by Intel. They predict that over the next 10 years “IT devices for industries including medical, manufacturing, transportation, retail, communication, consumer electronics and energy will take a development direction that makes intelligent designs become a part of all of our lifestyles”. Accordingly, they forecast a significant growth for embedded systems. Data also reported by forecasts the worldwide value of the embedded systems market to be worth €1.5 trillion in revenue by 2015 with the automotive, industrial, communications and healthcare sectors featuring prominently as users
Although the vision for the 'Internet of Things' was first formulated in 1999, the technology roadmap is still far from being seamless. The vision of having all objects linked to the internet might be only achievable when technology allows for global adoption. In this regard, Embedded Intelligence is key for these emerging technologies to enable globalisation.
