Edge computing use cases and examples

3:16:28

2024-12-12

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In principal, edge computing techniques are used to collect, filter, process and analyze data "in-place" at or near the network edge. It's a powerful means of using data that can't be first moved to a centralized location -- usually because the sheer volume of data makes such moves cost-prohibitive, technologically impractical or might otherwise violate compliance obligations, such as data sovereignty. This definition has spawned myriad real-world examples use cases:

Manufacturing. An industrial manufacturer deployed edge computing to monitor manufacturing, enabling real-time analytics and machine learning at the edge to find production errors and improve product manufacturing quality. Edge computing supported the addition of environmental sensors throughout the manufacturing plant, providing insight into how each product component is assembled and stored -- and how long the components remain in stock. The manufacturer can now make faster and more accurate business decisions regarding the factory facility and manufacturing operations.
Farming. Consider a business that grows crops indoors without sunlight, soil or pesticides. The process reduces grow times by more than 60%. Using sensors enables the business to track water use, nutrient density and determine optimal harvest. Data is collected and analyzed to find the effects of environmental factors and continually improve the crop growing algorithms and ensure that crops are harvested in peak condition.
Network optimization. Edge computing can help optimize network performance by measuring performance for users across the internet and then employing analytics to determine the most reliable, low-latency network path for each user's traffic. In effect, edge computing is used to "steer" traffic across the network for optimal time-sensitive traffic performance.
Workplace safety. Edge computing can combine and analyze data from on-site cameras, employee safety devices and various other sensors to help businesses oversee workplace conditions or ensure that employees follow established safety protocols -- especially when the workplace is remote or unusually dangerous, such as construction sites or oil rigs.
Improved healthcare. The healthcare industry has dramatically expanded the amount of patient data collected from devices, sensors and other medical equipment. That enormous data volume requires edge computing to apply automation and machine learning to access the data, ignore "normal" data and identify problem data so that clinicians can take immediate action to help patients avoid health incidents in real time.
Transportation. Autonomous vehicles require and produce anywhere from 5 TB to 20 TB per day, gathering information about location, speed, vehicle condition, road conditions, traffic conditions and other vehicles. And the data must be aggregated and analyzed in real time, while the vehicle is in motion. This requires significant onboard computing -- each autonomous vehicle becomes an "edge." In addition, the data can help authorities and businesses manage vehicle fleets based on actual conditions on the ground.
Retail. Retail businesses can also produce enormous data volumes from surveillance, stock tracking, sales data and other real-time business details. Edge computing can help analyze this diverse data and identify business opportunities, such as an effective endcap or campaign, predict sales and optimize vendor ordering, and so on. Since retail businesses can vary dramatically in local environments, edge computing can be an effective solution for local processing at each store.