A hitchhiker's guide to EDGE-technology
and the sheer endless horizons of digitization
The consumer sector is already a pioneer here, and it is simply impossible to imagine its digital world without EDGE elements. Whether smartphones, activity trackers, or the increasingly digital range of vehicles. Each asset in itself is already becoming a powerful, autonomous computing unit that adds value far beyond the conventional.
However, the true treasure of the individual applications only comes to light when they are connected to "like-minded" data pools, i.e. when these assets start talking to each other and want to learn from each other. For example, recommendations for improving performance can be reported back to the user via the activity tracker, the beach pictures taken on vacation can be proudly presented to those at home at the same time via cloud solutions, and in road traffic, annoying traffic jams can be avoided in good time thanks to real-time data.
While in the consumer sector these methods do not have a specific name, in the industrial environment everything that happens on site for the capturing, processing and monitoring of data is summarized under the collective term EDGE.
A technology that is not only part of every Industrial IoT success story, but also plays a decisive role in shaping it.
The answer to this question depends, as so often, on the viewpoint of the observer. Depending on the point of view, the level of experience, and the expectations, there are different perspectives and aspects. In this hitchhiker's guide, we take a comprehensive look at the architecture and the characteristics of an EDGE ecosystem.
EDGE becomes the catalyst for digital transformation and the key technology for overcoming the limits of linear structures. The paradigm shift becomes possible. Because value creation no longer ends at the "point of sale", but becomes an integral part of the entire life cycle.
Every asset - from the sensor to the machine, production line, or the complete production network - and every stakeholder - from the upstream supplier to the manufacturer, from the installer of the plant to the service technician, from the integrator to the operator to the production planner and management.
Despite the different roles mentioned above, all participants are on the same level to ensure the smooth functioning of the ecosystem and to provide maximum value to each company: The EDGE Ecosystem Orchistrator, the Device Builder, the Application Provider and the Solution Partner.
Our Technology Committee has taken a close look at this topic and compiled a comprehensive guide in the form of this handbook.
We are very pleased to be able to provide this result as a download for you as EDGE-interested, -implementers and -thinkers. A very valuable introduction to EDGE computing with a focus on Industry 4.0 with generally understandable insights to build a sound knowledge of the features of an EDGE system.
Our authors team
