This is an exciting time for anyone that follows information technology trends. There is not so much as a bunch of new technologies emerging, but there is a convergence of web-based technologies and real-world sensor technologies. Web converges with the real-world:
- Web is Becoming Real-Time. The web is turning into a real-time, information-rich, interactive conversation between applications and people. This is because of technology phenomenons such as social media, search engines, cloud computing, and broadband.
- Omnipresent Sensors in Real-World. The real-world is getting embedded with cheap, omnipresent sensor technology such as RFID, GPS, biometrics, cameras, and instrumental sensors.
Now people and software applications are interacting with web and sensor technologies in real-time. Tim O’Reilly calls this phenomenon “Web Squared”.
B2B Web-Squared Trends. Many large businesses and Government agencies already have “Web-Squared” initiatives in place. The most notable examples are in the areas of supply chain and Business-to-Business (B2B) eCommerce. B2B Web-Squared Examples:
- Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart is a pioneer in using bar codes and RFID technologies to keep near and real-time visibility of products and shipments. Many large businesses also use the web to exchange electronic documents with their suppliers.
- U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). The U.S. DoD has used active RFID tags as well as web technologies to track and trace shipping containers globally for years.
Both Government and large businesses are continuing to leverage both web technologies and sensor technologies to start to tag and track items down to the package and product level.
Opportunity to Expand B2B Web-Squared Technology to Small Businesses. With the costs of “Web-Squared” technologies going down and everyone becoming familiar with the technologies, there is a real opportunity for medium and small businesses to start using Web-Squared technologies. Passive RFID tags are now under ten cents, and cell phone GPS chips are getting down to five dollars a piece. We should start seeing a lot more initiatives and business services opening up for small businesses to exchange electronic business documents and information in real-time.
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Tags: B2B, GPS, internet, RFID, supply chain