IBM and KONE, announced a multi-year agreement in which IBM will provide cloud-based Internet of Things (IoT) technologies and services to drive innovation in smart buildings.
Through the agreement, KONE will tap into the IBM Watson IoT Cloud Platform to connect, remotely monitor and optimise its management of millions of elevators, escalators, doors and turnstiles in buildings and cities worldwide. The system will analyse vast amounts of data from sensors embedded in equipment helping to identify and predict issues, minimise downtime and personalise the experience for users. Instead of having to call in a service engineer or stick to maintenance schedules, KONE will be able to predict and respond to selected technical issues in real-time, with the ability to run tests remotely and make commands over the cloud.
”Our partnership with IBM is exciting and it is an important stepping stone to deliver the best People Flow experience,” says Henrik Ehrnrooth, president & CEO of KONE Corporation. ”We operate in a connected world and by working with IBM, new solutions like remote diagnostics and predictability means we will deliver even better services to our customers, and great experiences for the people who use our equipment.”
With real-time insight about the operation of its equipment, KONE’s plans to drive further innovation and develop new solutions and services to improve the flow of people in some of the world’s busiest cities and buildings. Using IBM’s open standards-based Watson IoT Cloud platform, KONE plans to allow a vast developer ecosystem via Application Programming Interfaces (API’s) to build new applications to make a smoother, safer and more personalised people flow experience for building users. For instance, community-based systems could help people pre-order elevators during the busiest times of the day or speed up evacuations during emergencies.
As buildings get taller and taller with the capacity to serve tens of thousands of users simultaneously, there is increased pressure on elevators and escalators to keep people moving smoothly. KONE is leading the way in bringing together technology and innovation to meet the requirements of some of the world’s most ambitious and iconic buildings. Its projects include the Leadhenhall Building in London which features the world’s largest and fastest suite of panoramic elevators; the Makkah Clock Royal Tower Hotel, in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, which is the tallest hotel, clocktower and largest indoor space in the world; and the Jeddah Tower, Saudi Arabia, which at over 1km tall, will be the world’s tallest building when completed.
“Efficient, people-centric cities and buildings are better for business, societies and economies. Central to this is how people move around within them and intelligent systems are poised to make their experience more convenient, intuitive and enjoyable,” said Harriet Green, general manager, IBM Watson Internet of Things. “With IBM’s cognitive IoT technologies, KONE is embedding intelligence across its operations and driving a wave of innovation in smarter buildings.”
Fingrid ELVIS turns to IBM’s Watson to manage Finland’s electricity grid
Meanwhile in Helsinki, Fingrid (Finland’s main electricity transmission grid operator) has selected IBM Watson IoT technology to help drive transformation in the electricity industry and ensure uninterrupted service for customers.
Using networks of sensors and IBM’s advanced analytics, Fingrid has pioneered a new solution called ELVIS which provides system operators with a consolidated view of the entire electricity transmission grid, from long-term plans to the day-to-day management and maintenance of assets and infrastructure.
Keeping the power flowing through Fingrid’s 14,000 km electricity grid is a daunting task that requires a holistic understanding of grid operations, maintenance and safety issues. As a global leader in electricity transmission management, Fingrid wanted to push the boundaries and find new ways of boosting reliability, controlling costs and supporting better investment decisions.
“Today’s power systems are getting more and more complex. At the same time as there is a growing requirement that power must be available all the time. We must therefore be able to do fast large-scale fault investigation thereby reducing the impact on people and businesses all over Finland,” said Marcus Stenstrand, grid manager at Fingrid Oyj. “We realised that we needed to combine near-real-time big data analytics with external factors such as weather to respond to these kinds of situations better and ensure the highest levels of service for our customers.”
In the past, Fingrid had to collect data from disparate systems and databases manually — which could take days, if not weeks, to get all the information required for root cause analysis. IBM’s IoT based solution increases the automation of the system helping Fingrid to quickly identify issues and optimise maintenance scheduling and management. In addition, by connecting asset information with geographic location and financial data, the company can use sophisticated graphical visualisations to better understand maintenance and operating costs.
“Together, cognitive computing and Internet of Things are poised to transform whole industries,” said Chris O’Connor, general manager, Offerings, IBM Watson Internet of Things. “Nowhere is this more critical than the power industry where outages and system failures can have deep impact across business and society. Fingrid is leading the way using networks of sensors and advanced analytics to infuse the grid with intelligence, making it more resilient, reliable and secure.”
ELVIS = Electricity Verkko Information System solution
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