With the exponential growth of intelligent or smart devices, there is a case to be made about the need for edge computing.

But what is the definition of edge computing, and what are the practical industry use cases that enterprises should know about? During a recent webinar featuring Gartner and IBM, these topics were explored.

Check out the webinar: “Meeting at the Crossroads of Edge Computing and Automation”

While edge computing itself isn’t new, what is new are the growing number of smart devices with embedded edge technology, allowing advanced services that were previously only on centralized clouds.

Think about edge computing from the perspective of your own industry, knowing that edge devices and servers are purpose-built pieces of equipment.

In the restaurant industry, there are now smart sensors that actually record hand washing temperatures. Rather than aggregating this data and sending them to a software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform, analysis is done on premises with edge computing to identify violations and send reports to the local health inspection agency.

In the automobile industry, vehicles have onboard compute power that can be used for a variety of purposes, whether it’s using real-time analytics to support passenger safety or deliver a more personalized and enjoyable driving experience.

The list could go on for other industries, like manufacturing, retail, healthcare, or financial services, where edge computing helps these enterprises act on insights closer to where data is created:

• Factories can increase production and improve worker safety.
• Retail stores can personalize customer experiences and track inventory in real time.
• Healthcare providers can store and transmit sensitive patient data faster and more securely, while adhering to regulatory or compliance requirements.
• Financial institutions can make critical, time-sensitive decisions much faster.

Get an industry point of view on edge computing

If you’re interested in learning more about the market drivers for edge computing, the relationship to cloud computing, and its key benefits and industry use cases, please access our webinar featuring analyst Gartner, “Meeting at the Crossroads of Edge Computing and Automation.”

Additional resources

• Video series: Edge computing powers a safe return to work
• Web: IBM Edge Application Manager