IoT Editors Day Silicon Valley: Echelon Lights Up the Future

Echelon Corporation’s technology platform can be found in more than 100 million devices, 35 million homes and about 300,000 buildings worldwide. The company is considered to be a pioneer in developing open-standard control networking platforms. This gives Echelon an edge as we see the proliferation of the Internet of Things (IoT).

Recently, Erik Linask had the opportunity to sit down with Echelon’s chief technology officer, Sohrab Modi. The conversation began with Erik citing the buzz about the IoT that we have been hearing about lately. Sohrab proudly stated that Echelon has been in the IoT world for a long time, dealing with smart devices and connecting smart grid meters, digital meters that replace the old analog meters used in homes to record electrical usage and can transmit energy usage information back to the utility.

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Sohrab describes that his company takes a slightly different approach to the IoT. It is not just a matter of how many devices can be connected, rather the concern is more in how these devices are connected and how can people actually see value from a connected device.

With 30 million smart meter connections, you can see that Echelon has been in the game for a while and has a pretty good understanding of the market, giving them the opportunity to ride the wave. In keeping with the motif, Sohrab equated the oncoming industrial IoT technology as a being hit by a tsunami, moving fast and hard.

Echelon’s latest endeavor is the smart lighting market. There are going to be major changes as incandescent bulbs are phased out and Echelon is poised to leverage that transition. The major concern with future lighting needs is how to control all the different aspects of LED lights and how to make the offices smarter.

The options that are available today go far beyond simply using a switch to turn a light on or off. Dimmer switches are also not the only way to achieve comfort levels as LED can be set to change colors. The overall effect is to have an office environment that can be regulated on an individual basis leading to a more efficient and productive atmosphere.

Sohrab has a lot to say on the subject and you can watch the entire interview by clicking here.