PRODUCTS & SERVICES
COBO
Machines in touch with people
USING IOT TO CONNECT MACHINES TO PEOPLE PROMISES TO BE A NEW PARADIGM
FOR THE WHOLE INDUSTRIAL VEHICLE WORKING ENVIRONMENT
The challenge for the future of industry relates to
the availability and proper management of data
collected, its understanding and awareness of process
performance, and its ability to predict and react to any
situation that may cause inefficiency or failure.
The increasingly important migration of business
concepts towards service-based models requires that
the data regarding machines and operations be
available, that connectivity and telemetry systems make
it available in real time on the cloud and that this data is
accessible to the user via all mobile devices: computers,
tablets and smartphones and the like.
The development the Internet of Things (IoT) as well
as the availability of new communication protocols are
the enablers of the Enterprise 4.0 concept. The classic
transmission standards via the telephone network,
which require SIM cards, are flanked by radio
technologies specifically designed for the IoT. These
enable the transmission of limited amounts of data but
with minimal energy consumption. This in turn enables
devices to be self-powered and to operate
autonomously for years. It is thanks to these
62 iVTInternational.com November 2019
ABOVE: Internet of Things-enabled communication
BELOW: An RFID tag manufactured by Cobo
technologies and to a vast family of sensors that global
control of machines and work environments become
possible. In fact, these technologies enable the
acquisition of all the data needed by the processing
algorithms, intended to provide users with ever more
sophisticated artificial intelligence (AI) systems that help
and support decisions (DSS: decisions support
system) in the most varied aspects of business.
Connectivity technology
Simplicity, power, reliability and advanced
data analysis are the pillars on which the
Cobo Intouch connectivity ecosystem has
been developed. It is a complete range of
units and sensors, from CANLive, a powerful
electronic unit for data transmission via
GPRS (General Packet Radio Services)
with encrypted protocols to guarantee
data security and confidentiality, and GPS
(Global Positioning System)/GLONASS
(GLObal NAvigation Satellite System) receiver to
determine the position and tracking of the machine, to
the possibility of Firmware Over-The-Air (FOTA) software
updates, a tool that enables units to always be
up-to-date and implement any new function even when
the machine is already operational.
Reliability
The machine data is reliably collected by
means of a J1939 CANbus network which
enables the machine to be diagnosed and
remotely controlled. Its robust power
management unit minimizes consumption
even when the vehicle is off. Nonetheless it
remains activated thanks to its internal
battery pack which ensures the management
of the anti-theft functions. Wi-fi connectivity
enables connections even if mobile networks
are not available. The significant memory
ensures the storage of all data for up to 24 hours. Data
is uploaded or downloaded as soon as a connection is
/iVTInternational.com
