Edge computing is the new wave in the technology space that attempts to improve the performance of online applications and internet devices. A large number of digital transformation company is using it to reduce bandwidth consumption and avoid communication delays. This might be one of the causes for its rise to prominence in the digital world. Although there are as many potential edge use cases as there are consumers, everyone’s setup will be unique, some sectors have been at the frontline of edge computing. Digital product engineering remains one of the best alternatives in the IT sector. However, they utilise edge computing in conjunction in some cases for a more complete response to the problem statement.
Edge hardware is used by manufacturers and heavy industry to provide delay-intolerant applications, keeping computing power near to where it’s needed for things like computerised coordination of heavy gear on a manufacturing floor. Companies may also use the edge to incorporate IoT applications such as condition monitoring close to the equipment. Edge computing can also be used by agricultural users as a layer of data collection from soil and temperature sensors, combines and tractors, and more.
Let’s look at some more innovative examples of Edge Computing:
1. HEALTHCARE
The healthcare business generates a large quantity of data. Patient records from medical instruments, monitors, and devices are involved. Healthcare providers might get vital data on their patients on a continuous basis instead of interacting with modest and fragmented databases, thanks to IoT devices capable of supplying massive amounts of Patient-generated Health Information (PGHD). Medical gadgets might also be designed to collect and process information during diagnosis and therapy. While the legislative requirements for sharing and exposing patient records would make any edge approach difficult to implement, other new safety efforts, such as Blockchain technology, might provide better solutions to such problems.
- MANUFACTURING
In the manufacturing industry, edge computing is used to supervise manufacturing processes and use deep learning and real-time analysis to improve product quality and detect manufacturing problems. It also encourages the use of environmental sensors in manufacturing facilities. Edge computing also offers information on the elements in inventory and how long they will last. It enables the company to make more accurate and timely operational and production choices.
- AUGMENTED REALITY DEVICES
Wearable AR devices like eyeglasses and headphones are sometimes utilized to achieve this effect, however, most clients have first seen AR on their mobile phone screens. Anyone who has played games like Pokemon GO or used a Snapchat or Instagram channel has used augmented reality. Devices are expected to interpret visual input and merge pre-rendered visual components on a continual basis, according to the AR innovation. Without the use of edge computing, this visual data would be sent back to a cluster of cloud servers, where the digitized components might be added before being sent back to the device. This strategy would inevitably result in critical delay.
- TRANSPORTATION
Every day, the transportation sector, particularly autonomous cars, generates gigabytes of data. Data must be collected and evaluated in real-time by autonomous cars, which necessitates extensive computation. They also require information on the vehicle’s upkeep, performance, geolocation, road and congestion conditions, and the presence of neighboring cars. In order to deal with this, the cars themselves become the computing edge. As a consequence, information is analyzed at a faster pace in order to meet the demands of data gathering and analysis.
- ENERGY
Edge computing is also beneficial in the energy industry for monitoring gas and oil utility safety. Sensors continually check the humidity and pressure. It must not lose communication because if something goes wrong, such as a hot oil line that goes unnoticed, tragedies can occur. The problem is that the majority of such facilities are located in rural locations. Edge computing, when deployed at or near those systems, provides increased connection and continuous surveillance capabilities.