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Dog Hunter Sees IoT Use Cases Expanding in Years to Come

By Eric Lebowitz
Digital Content Editor

Anybody who attended CES (News - Alert) this year is now well aware that the M2M/Internet of Things (IoT) is becoming the focus for many of the world’s largest electronics manufacturers. These enterprises are going all-in on robotics, automated lighting systems, smart HVAC and other IoT devices. In fact, Samsung (News - Alert) CEO BK Yoon announced at the show that by 2017, 90 percent of his company’s offerings would be IoT products.

For a company like Dog Hunter, which specializes in design and production of Wi-Fi modules and control and sensors management solutions, the explosion of the IoT is certainly welcome news. But what bodes even better for any organization in the IoT space is the plethora of potential applications for M2M in industrial sectors like energy management, oil and gas and manufacturing.

“I actually believe the industrial space could be the last use case to come along, but I believe it may be the strongest,” said Dog Hunter’s COO Mike Storella in a meeting with TMC (News - Alert) on Tuesday at ITEXPO. “When you start to dig down into what insurance companies are really worried about—water, fire, and power issues—that’s where the big money is.”

As Storella explained, embedded devices can offer incredible value for industrial enterprises, specifically with regard to predictive maintenance. He cited a recent conversation he had with a boiler manufacturer that was looking to cut down on the number of times it sends repair trucks into the field each quarter. The organization was unsure if IoT/M2M solutions could help accomplish this goal, and Storella responded emphatically that indeed it could.   

Predictive maintenance can help organizations protect capital investments for everyday office products. He’s seen examples in which companies spend $600 to fix a copier that only cost $400 originally because of a catastrophic mechanical failure. If that copier was embedded with a sensor that could transmit a signal indicating that a malfunction was imminent, repairs could have been made before the point of disaster.

The number of applications for the IoT is practically endless. Even something as ordinary as a garden hose could be embedded, and given the capability to alert a homeowner if a hose was left running—thereby avoiding a huge water bill.  

“It’s difficult to think of an industry where M2M wouldn’t have implications,” Storella said.

Over the past couple of years, analysts and research firms have made incredible predictions about IoT/M2M growth over the next few years. Most of these projections indicate that the total market value will be trillions of dollars, which is nothing less than staggering. Dog Hunter, for its part, is anxious to see where the space goes from here.

“It’s an incredibly exciting time to be in this industry,” Storella said. “The possibilities are endless.”

Everyone is talking about M2M and the IoT. If  you want to learn more about the strategies you can implement today, hear case studies and get insight from the leaders and innovators in this space, be sure to register and attend M2M Evolution Conference & Expo taking place January 27–30, 2015 at the Miami Beach Convention Center.  Stay in touch with everything happening at the event -- follow us on Twitter