Helping University Minds Harness IoT

Through the Wind River University Program earlier this year, I had the opportunity to mentor a group of engineering students at San Diego State University.  Wind River sponsored their senior project – which was to address a relatively simple challenge  – create a sound capture device, render a sound file, and save it somewhere. This seemingly straightforward exercise can lend itself to a more profound conversation, especially specific to medical applications, and the implications of proving such a concept are far reaching. In as much as it is an enabler, and even disrupter, technology highlights the shortcomings of those caught in the mindset of the old world pattern of design, build, and sell.

Product designers and managers who leverage the design platforms of the “new world” realize faster time-to-market and lower development costs, and simultaneously are forced us to look at and adapt antiquated business practices in order to catch-up to today’s high-velocity connected world. Regulatory and certification processes, legal guidelines, and sales contracts have yet to fully embrace technology-driven markets – these present the real challenges.  Collaborating and standardizing on new disruptive technologies, like those of the Wind River Helix Cloud offerings, is creating excitement and reinvigorating those closest to innovation.