The right time and place [wireless LAN]

Abstract

There are already numerous excellent applications for wireless. Currently, most applications are information related, however, limited control usage is possible today with potential growth in the future. A fully wireless factory is not feasible as there is still a need to provide significant power to many devices. Technology improvements in wireless technologies, batteries, energy consumption, and power scavenging are bound to widen the range of wireless devices in the future. Since the industrial WLAN networking is a relatively small market, industrial WLAN users can take advantage of price and performance enhancements from the wider WLAN market by utilising COTS products with automation protocols running on standard unmodified Ethernet.