The installed base of wireless IoT (Internet of Things) devices in industrial automation reached 10.3 million in 2014, according to a new research report from the analyst firm Berg Insight. The number of wireless IoT devices in automation networks will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 27.2 per cent to reach 43.5 million by 2020. A wide range of wireless technologies are used in industrial automation with different characteristics and use cases. Standards based on 802.15.4, such as WirelessHART and ISA100.11a, are major contenders at the field level in process automation networks. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are the most widespread technologies in factory automation, while cellular connectivity typically is used for remote monitoring and backhaul communication between plants. Release
