In what is said to be the first live demo of its kind, EPAM Systems, Inc. has shown an IoT connected services app that enables a vehicle to automatically communicate with multiple platforms.
EPAM is partnering with PTC, Inc. to blend its engineering and integration capabilities with PTC’s ThingWorx. The ThingWorx platform combines the functionality of Web 2.0, search, and social collaboration, and applies it to the world of “things,” including connected products, machines, sensors, and industrial equipment.
As Jeremy Cowan reports, the partnership is already building and offering IoT solutions across key verticals, including financial services, life sciences and healthcare, automotive, retail and distribution.
In its demo, EPAM used a go-kart to represent a car, and was able to monitor essential services for the 21st Century’s connected auto. If predictions of 10 million self-driving cars on US roads by 2020 are to be achieved, then services will need to be accessible on all screens, whether in your car or in your pocket. These include not just the obvious services we see today such as navigation and infotainment, but also: Telematics; diagnostics and control; emergency calls & assistance; safety management; digital vision for self-parking, autopilot and road sign recognition modes; and vehicle & user device internet connectivity.
“The demo shows how to use a unified platform, which cuts the time to value. PTC ThingWorx has analytics, connectivity, and presentation all baked in”, EPAM’s CTO, Eli Feldman tells IoT Now. “In the past you would have to have worked with a bunch of partners to work out the connectivity, where to store and analyse the data,” This is all within ThingWorx.
ThingWorx platform
Businesses use the ThingWorx platform to rapidly deliver applications and connected solutions across markets ranging from manufacturing, energy, and food, to M2M (machine-to-machine) remote monitoring and service, as well as in emerging Internet of Things (IoT) applications, including smart cities, smart grids, agriculture, and transportation.
EPAM is a 23 year-old company listed on the New York stock exchange (NYSE:EPAM). It has 20,000 employees, 18,000 of whom are engineers, designers and consultants, with revenue exceeding US$1 billion, with 57% from North America, more than 37% from northern Europe, and the rest from eastern Europe and Asia-Pacific.
“For the first decade,” Feldman tells IoT Now, “we serviced the software industry — for example, SAP has been a client for 20 years. We worked on product development for them, but not on professional services or support networks. Oracle has also been a client for a long time.”
“We realised we had knowledge in products, and could help enterprises develop products. We’re still focused on client-facing products, with financial services accounting for 26% of our revenue and independent software vendors and technology businesses 20%. They include the largest internet company in the world (he can’t say, so let us assume Google. Ed.). Life sciences & healthcare make up 10% of our business, while media, entertainment & publishing are now included in our top five. We build complex data platforms for them,” Feldman adds.
Preventative maintenance
In complex machinery it is difficult to predict when mechanical parts will need repair. So, in order to avoid unnecessary machinery servicing, the app offers connectivity for continuous data and smart-connected products. Additionally, using the app can reportedly prevent failures by enabling continuous upkeep of the machine.
Until recently, only Tesla vehicles had the capability to embed software download updates – but with the use of this app, anyone can now conduct updates remotely.
Connected brewery
EPAM is a digital platform engineering companies that reportedly offers end-to-end IoT solutions. “For our customers,” says Eli Feldman, “this means that we provide business strategy through design to the end result of development and testing. We already work in healthcare, oil & gas, industrial machinery and consumer wearables for the travel and hospital markets. We also work in a connected brewery and with connected clothing,” he adds. Partners in this last sector include Adidas and other major retailers.
In contrast he adds, “To operate in the mining sector, customers need to be able to act on equipment data in real time to prevent costly mine shut-downs. While cellular telecoms companies want to build stickiness, as with Xone by Vodafone, for example. We worked with them to manage scooters in southern Europe. The question was, what could they give customers to put on their scooters to protect them (from theft). Vodafone started selling the service a year ago,” he reports.
“EPAM brings the service design and strategy, for example in the telco space, to differentiate ourselves, and work out what needs to be done to deliver a smart home platform,” Feldman concludes.
Jeremy Cowan is editorial director & publisher of IoT Now and VanillaPlus
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