Intelligent Systems? They are all around you.

Posted By Chris Caile
Group Marketing Manager

Welcome to the “new” Windows Embedded Intelligent Systems blog!

As a quick introduction, I’m Chris Caile, Group Marketing Manager on the Windows Embedded Outbound Marketing team. Our team is responsible for our marketing campaigns to tell customers about our solutions around intelligent systems and within our focus industries including retail, health, and industrial automation.

I’ve been with Embedded for a little under a year and I’m impressed by all the ways smart, connected devices impact our lives. This blog will explore those devices and also showcase companies using devices as part of a broader solution to improve their performance and ultimately our experiences.

As a visitor to the Windows Embedded blog hopefully you know by now that our division is all about the shift from smart devices to Intelligent Systems.  There are many formal definitions of an intelligent system but the simplest is smart devices that capture data and relay it to a server where the data is turned into valuable insight for the business.  Devices collect data, transmit to a server or database, and then analytic software turns out patterns, trends, and insights to help that system improve.  This process is repeated over and over every day by billions of smart devices.

The great thing about intelligent systems is that they are visible every day.  You don’t have to look far to see that these smart devices that power our lives (ATMs, self-checkout terminals, Digital signs, factory automation, to name a few) are increasingly becoming connected to other devices , servers, and analytics software. 

I was in an airport recently and saw a simple intelligent system.  In fact I was standing on it.  The escalator system in Heathrow Terminal 5 has more going on with it than simply moving us around.  Each escalator moves at a very slow pace until it senses a new rider at which time it reverts to normal speed.  The device portion is made up of sensors located near the entrance and they transmit data about riders to a back end server.  The system is energy efficient of course but likely also captures foot traffic – helping the airport plan traffic patterns and future power usage.  This is an intelligent system. 

Part of my interest with this blog will be to find new and unique intelligent systems in our everyday lives.  How about a digital touch screen in the restroom?  Unique?  I’d say so.   In the Munich airport restroom they feature a digital touch screen to allow patrons to rate the cleanliness of the facilities.   Three simple smiley face buttons – green, yellow, red. Rate the room and you are giving management insight into how to see if their service is not meeting standards.  Excellent use of new technology to improve lives in unique ways. 

Can you find the intelligent systems in your everyday life?  Share your examples with us through the comments section below.  We’re on the look-out for more cool ways devices and intelligent systems are at work in our world. And for the record I rated the restroom “green”.