They say that data is the “new oil” and that the difference lies in knowing how to collect it in a cost-effective manner and efficiently. EIT Smart offers the right technology to do this.
They say that data is the “new oil” and, for large companies and SMEs who want to extract value from it, the difference lies in knowing how to collect it in a cost-effective manner and efficiently.
The value of the data
We have been talking about the value of data and Big Data, AI and IoT applications for some time now but for companies that produce goods or provide services, whether they directly manage their own equipment or rely on third parties, the challenge no longer consists in having a large amount of data available, but rather in possessing the ability to collect and exploit it in the best way possible, from an operational perspective, to improve the reliability, effectiveness and efficiency of its processes or to innovate its offer.
The “small data”
Every area of application and every smart and 4.0 project is different, and it is therefore important to know how to choose the right data collection technology for your need, keeping in mind that having “lots” of data is not necessarily synonymous with success. In fact, it is often sufficient to have a smaller amount of information provided it is what is needed, accurate, contextualized, and collected effectively at the right time.
From even a “small” but focused dataset, it will be easier to reprocess the information to extract value so much so that the term “Small Data” was introduced to express this concept, thus contrasting with “Big Data.” To get great results sometimes all it takes is a little data, but “good” data: #smalldatabigresults.
“Less is more”: when too much data is not needed
Even in technology, innovation and business, the saying “Less is more” applies. Indeed, there are areas of application in which it is enough to correctly collect just one parameter, or to periodically monitor small data set in the right way, to transform one’s business.
This is the case, for example, of the PSA Group, which launched a project on Sigfox technology in 2019 to monitor the location of components at more than 2,000 European sites along its Supply Chain, or Coyote, a company specializing in locating and recovering stolen vehicles that has introduced the same technology in its trackers to increase the recovery rate of vehicles thanks to jamming resistance. In both cases, in fact, the location data is not processed continuously, but by adapting the frequency of acquisition according to need, on a scheduled or motion basis in the first case and in case of theft in the second.
Many companies embarking on a digital transformation journey tend to assume that having lots of data will help them solve their business problems. This is not always the case: the real added value is being able to collect and read the data which is really necessary for your business among the thousands of pieces of information in a simple and cost-effective way.
Not to mention that the size of Big Data could create further challenges for businesses, including security and privacy risks, lack of professionals and analysts and difficulties in archiving and processing.
In short, it is about ensuring that data and analysis end up in the right hands at the right time so that they can be used as a basis for making the right decisions, contributing to the achievement of company’s objectives.
0G: the technology created for “small data”
In this context, 0G technology on the Sigfox protocol opens a new era in the field of the Internet of Things from a “small data” perspective. Low Power Wide Area Networks (LPWAN), of which Sigfox is the leader, have in fact now acquired a well-defined role in the technological panorama of the IoT world.
0G technology, combining the characteristics of LPWANs with those specific to the Sigfox protocol, enables applications based on security, low energy consumption, ease of use and low-cost wireless connectivity, making it possible to add connectivity to objects (assets, containers, goods, etc.) not yet connected. 0G technology is perfect for covering distances of tens of kilometers and is present in over 70 countries around the world and thanks to the global interoperability between the networks of all Sigfox operators, it guarantees continuity of service at an international level.
EIT Smart and 0G technology for data collection
As Sigfox Operator in Italy, EIT Smart – a company of the EI Towers Group – is the only national operator capable of offering the advantages of this technology to companies for simple applications based on the exploitation of a defined set of data such as, for example, the position (for tracking), the status (for security systems), or a measurement (for metering and infrastructure monitoring).
As concerns the network, the advantages of 0G technology from a “small data” perspective are numerous, starting from requiring “only” a streamlined and convenient analysis and storage infrastructure.
As concerns the object, the main advantage is the long battery life of self-powered sensors which will have a significant impact on the Total Cost of Ownership of the technology used. The cost is the result of three different variables: frequency, availability, and accuracy.
Having “less data” therefore means optimizing the total cost of the proposed solution and implementing “ad hoc” technologies specially designed for this purpose and completely different from those that would be chosen to obtain a large amount of data. In this case, 0G technology turns out to be a winner when compared to cellular and satellite technologies, which are more energy-intensive and complex to manage.
