Bosch, known for their expertise in automotive engineering and technological services are now venturing into smarter solutions for mainstream industries. In a recently concluded event: ‘Beyond Mobility 2016’, senior leaders from Bosch gave interesting insights into their future plans vis-a-vis smarter solutions, and explained how Internet of Things will be the cornerstone of their futuristic world.
Interestingly, research in smarter solutions using high end technological breakthroughs are happening right in India, within Bosch’s massive research eco-system.,
Bosch India, which Bosch’s largest engineering and research center outside Germany, was established in 1951, and have now grown into 15 manufacturing sites and 7 development & application centers. In 2015-16, Bosch India churned out consolidated revenues of more than Rs 17,000 crore, and employs 30,000 engineers, associates, researchers and developers.
Cochin Airport, which became the first airport to be fully solar-powered, was consulted by Bosch India, for installation of solar panels. Cochin airport is one of the flagship projects of Bosch India. Energy is just one of the sectors where Bosch India is currently working to induce more efficiency and productivity.
Here we explore various industries and mediums wherein Bosch is attempting to revolutionize the existing protocols, and unleash the true power of Internet of Things in daily operations:
Smart Cities
Inspired by PM Modi’s Digital India and Startup India vision, Bosch is enabling several smart city projects across the nation, which can not only improve urban life, but also help citizens to leverage the technology for solving their day to day problems. Instead of implementing a massive smart city project for the entire city, Bosch is enabling smaller, niche solutions which will combine themselves to solve a bigger problem.
For instance, Bosch is providing an IoT driven smart city app which can be used by city administrators to monitor traffic flow, ease parking problems and secure the premises of the city in a better way.
The dashboard provided in the app can automatically check the demand and supply for urban transportation, and increase number of buses as and when required. Citizens can book a parking slot even before reaching the destination, and can report any suspicious activity right from the app itself.
Bosch is right now working with several urban planners and city administrators to implement smart city solutions across 100+ cities.
Smart Homes & Appliances
Imagine you and your wife have went out to shop. Suddenly your smartphone received a notification from your fridge that vegetables and milk are urgently required in your home.
Such smart appliances are not a fiction anymore, as Bosch is right now developing futuristic, IoT enabled appliances which can communicate with one another, and offer real time updates and notifications for better home management.
Bosch is right now a market leader in manufacturing micro-sensors which are used in smartphones, and using the same sensors, they are creating smart home solutions which can improve the quality of life substantially.
Within the niche of home appliances, Bosch is enabling smart solutions across products for cooking, washing clothes, washing dishes, refrigerators, and other kitchen and home appliances.
Take for instance washing clothes: Bosch has understood that washing clothes is lot more than simply using water and detergent powder to clean the clothes; it is understanding the type of clothes, the quality of water, and lot more. During a market survey, Bosch found out that consumers don’t wash new and expensive clothes inside a washing machine, and in order to solve this problem, they have launched the futuristic ‘Vario Drum’ technology, which has technologically advanced drums to avoid the rough flow of water into the washing machine.
Similarly, their sensors inside refrigerators can now preserve Apples for more than a week, as they can read and understand the humidity level of the environment, and accordingly enable the cooling proportions.
Bosch is right now working on a unique ‘Home Connect’ platform, which will enable communication and syncing of all home appliances using IoT technology.
Smart Security & Communications Solutions
Very few know that the conference system installed within Parliament of India is a flagship product by Bosch, which uses IP as a signaling method, for the first time in the world.
Most of security cameras across all major airports across the world are provided by Bosch, and using this massive reach, Bosch is now attempting to induce smarter security and communications methods.
For instance, in one of the projects, Bosch is automating the security monitoring mechanism, and bringing artificial intelligence into the core objectives. Hence, if there is any unclaimed bag within the metro train premises, Bosch cameras can quickly identify it and report to the officials for quick actions. Such automation is required is because human mind cannot concentrate on screens for hours at stretch. And one small security related lapse can become very expensive mistake.
Besides these, Bosch is right now enabling:
- Smart Manufacturing for better productivity
- Smart Mining wherein heavy equipment can communicate with one another, and enable more safety for the miners
- Smart Energy wherein the existing resources are optimally utilized for a greener Earth
- Smart Construction wherein urban space is designed and constructed in the most efficient manner, protecting our environment and enabling greater thrust to urbanization
- Smart Packaging wherein brands can leverage the power of Internet of Things and produce more, sell more and generate more profits via easy and smooth packaging.
The first industrial revolution took 100 years to come to India; second industrial revolution arrived 50 years later; third industrial revolution came after 10 years to India.
But the 4th industrial revolution is happening right in India, right now; and Bosch India is actually one of the key drivers of this incredible transformation of life, using technology.