Automation tech will rise in 2016: 8 companies to watch

Foreign media VentureBeat published an article saying that "automated technology" will rise in 2016. "Automated devices" will flock to the market, which can automatically sense their environment, their own status and input data, and can learn and make decisions on their own. It is estimated that by 2020, the number of connected devices will reach 50 billion. Even objects such as dog collars, coffee pots and windows will become smart devices.

Tens of billions of connected devices mean trillions of sensors, a number too large to be managed by manual manipulation and stimulus-response commands. Automated operation will become a necessary feature of devices, and all signs show that 2016 will be a critical point in the rise of the automation era.

Here are some of the most exciting automation technology companies to watch in the future:

1. Viv

Viv from San Jose is called the smart Siri replacement, a smart platform that will connect millions of apps to its global brain in a short period of time. Viv has the flexibility to handle complex commands and break the limitations of existing voice control systems such as Siri.

Viv is an open system that enables businesses and applications to develop their own brains. One of the benchmarks that Viv engineers developed it on is that it learns new things every day. Viv's founders make you feel that their AI service is a public utility, just like access to electricity. Their service will be a ubiquitous brain that can drive millions of applications, devices, and machines with just the human voice.

2. Wit.ai

Similar to Viv, Wit.ai is on its way to becoming a leader in intelligent speech processing. Its software can turn speech into actionable data for developers to build applications and devices using a voice interface. The software is able to learn human speech and develop a broad natural speech platform for its developer community, which currently has more than 10,000 members.

Wit.ai, which has made everything from voice-activated appliances, drones and robots to automated homes possible, was acquired by Facebook earlier this year after initially being funded by Silicon Valley venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz.

It’s yet another example of how open platforms will dominate the age of automation, and given its early stages, Wit.ai has great promise to deliver some viable solutions in the near term.

3. Cohda Wireless

[[158971]]

Through Cohda Wireless vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) technology from Australia, cars can communicate with other cars and intelligent road infrastructure to share information about safety, mobility and the surrounding environment. Automatic identification of equipment and collaboration with other equipment and the environment will be the most typical functions of automated equipment.

Cohda Wireless communicates via cellular networks, WiFi and DRSC to ease road congestion and avoid accidents. It will help reduce casualties caused by traffic accidents. The company is also working on standardizing vehicle-to-vehicle communications.

This type of direct machine-to-machine radio communication technology is key to supporting machine-to-machine communication, which is critical to optimizing device perception and automation capabilities.

4. Saffron

Saffron, recently acquired by Intel, is dedicated to developing technology to improve the decision-making capabilities of devices. Its technology covers multiple industries, including aerospace, insurance, healthcare and manufacturing. The San Francisco company was founded in 1999 by Manuel Aparicio, former chief scientist of IBM's Knowledge Management and Intelligent Agent Center, and is currently led by former PeopleSoft CEO Gayle Sheppard.

Saffron works by receiving data from multiple sources and using contextual memory to quickly and intelligently identify thousands of connections. This 360-degree intelligent vision will be a key factor in the real-time automation of equipment.

Intel’s focus on building this kind of intelligence directly into its chips suggests that future devices may be able to do much of the learning and decision-making on their own, without having to use outside services.

5. IBM Watson Developer Cloud

IBM's Watson Developer Cloud claims to have the industry's largest portfolio of cognitive APIs. Developers can combine and analyze their own data with that of others to gain insights, extract value, and promote learning. Its natural speech processing, computer vision, and cognitive performance create an ideal platform for intelligent applications. Like many of the above companies, Watson is breaking down barriers to information sharing.

Watson partners can access IBM resources and collaborate with the community to develop platform intelligence. Although current Watson AI-as-a-Service offerings are more or less domain-specific, IBM is systematically expanding its solution portfolio to solve multiple complex automation problems simultaneously.

The IBM Watson Developer Cloud currently powers several applications, including News Explorer, which automatically constructs a network of news information and presents large amounts of news search results in an understandable way.

6. Edge3 Technologies

[[158972]]

Edge3 Technologies is a visual analytics company in Tempe, Arizona, that is developing software for the self-driving cars of the future.

Its technology monitors and tracks the behavior of drivers and passengers, detecting their identity, sobriety, heart rate, etc. These factors will trigger the semi-autonomous driving of the car while ensuring that the car operator is focused and able to make the decisions required to operate the self-driving car. This technology does not require the installation of specialized hardware.

In fact, according to Edge3, even something as simple as a 2D camera will be able to use its technology. The potential of Edge3 is not limited to self-driving cars, but can also be applied to robot manipulation and object dimensioning.

7. B+B SmartWorx

[[158973]]

B+B SmartWorx is committed to providing the infrastructure required for machine-to-machine networks. Its products can integrate existing equipment and network technologies, allowing networks to adapt and improve intelligence, automation, responsiveness and decision-making capabilities.

B+B SmartWorx hardware aggregates and transforms data at the edge so it can intelligently and efficiently transmit data only to where it is needed, feeding the information highway with only what is needed to execute automated actions.

Having advanced networks for industrial applications like this will be useful because many companies will be moving data between devices, appliances, and the cloud.

8. Filament

Filament is described as a simple interface that allows people with little IT knowledge to build networks. It allows users to deploy wireless networks with a coverage range of up to 10 miles. These networks do not have to rely on WiFi or cellular networks to operate. Users can also monetize the Filament network by selling access to their networks and devices using Blockchain and digital smart certificates, while ensuring the security of their own data.

Filament’s founders have big ambitions: They hope their encrypted networks will be used to power smart cities. This type of low-power automated mesh networking technology could be critical for machine automation that requires cross-device perception.