SEARCH searchBY TOPIC
right_division Green SCM Distribution
Bookmark us
sitemap
SCDigest Logo
 
 
distribution

Focus: RFID and Automated Identification and Data Collection (AIDC)

Feature Article from Our RFID and AIDC Subject Area - See All

 

From SCDigest's OnTarget e-Magazine

- Nov. 18, 2015 -

 

RFID, IoT and AIDC News: Interesting Idea for Use of the Internet of Things in a Consumer Products Application

 

French Company Feeligreen has Cosmetics Applicators that Send Usage Information Back to Marketing and Product Development Teams

 

SCDigest Editorial Staff

Applications for the Internet of Things (IoT) seem fairly obvious in many industrial type environments.

For example, Caterpillar has put sensors on millions of its construction machines that send data back on how the product is being used, the health of the machine that can be used to predict failures before they occur, and more.

SCDigest Says:

start

He added that "If it's just asking why the customer hasn't used your product in two weeks, that's not going to work. There's a fine line between value and harassment."

 

close
What Do You Say?

 

Click Here to Send Us Your Comments
feedback
Click Here to See Reader Feedback

GE is doing the same with its aircraft engines, not only collecting and analyzing the same type of data as Caterpillar, but also having created a new analytic information service it is selling to its airline customers based on that data.

And just this week, Cincinnati manufacturer Mazak Corp. was profiled in local media for adding an array of sensors to all its production machines, which send real-time data to the company's analytic applications . Mazak says that by understanding everything that's going on with its machines, it is able to know when it's being the most productive, and what may be decreasing productivity, identifying opportunities to address those problems.

That's all well and good, and such industrial/manufacturing applications do seem to be delivering real value for a growing number of companies. In addition, such applications can often be seen as very evolutionary, as manufacturers have been monitoring information from production equipment for many decades. The difference now is being able to better analyze that data, make it available easily to whomever needs it, and/or to monitor equipment far outside the four walls of the enterprise.

But the IoT hype machine is running full speed far beyond just these industrial applications.

Take for example, recent comments from Fortune magazine reporter Jonathan Vanian, who wrote breathlessly that "The Internet of things, in which anything from refrigerators to cars are connected online, is such an important development that companies failing to recognize it risk becoming irrelevant."

With that as backdrop, some interesting news this week on potential use of IoT in consumer products applications.

At a recent conference in the UK, a young French company named Feeligreen was demonstrating its IoT-based systems for cosmetic and health care products.

It works like this: The company has produced a connected handheld device which, in combination with the right cosmetic cream, uses micro-currents and LEDs to treat wrinkles, cellulite, stretch marks or blemishes.

That device in turn connects to the Internet and is controlled by an app that can track consumer usage, with the consumer's permission, and then send that data back to Feeligreen.


(RFID and AIDC Story Continued Below)

 

 
CATEGORY SPONSOR: SOFTEON

 
 

 

The user gets recommendations for better skin in return for providing the usage data, while Feeligreen can pass that information back to its own marketing and product development teams - and perhaps those of other cosmetics companies for use with their products.

Company founder Christophe Bianchi says that Feeligreen is in talks with several major beauty brands, though none of the deals are final.

In addition to licensing these and related inventions to brands, Feeligreen is also exploring a business model in which it would provide on-going data and insights to brands.

Bianchi said that "We're investing in data scientists, for collecting data on our users, their skin characteristics, and their usage of the products. We now have to manage that and extract patterns to improve. It's really a value we can deliver to brands for both marketing and product development."

He also had some interesting thoughts relative to IoT and consumer privacy - and what might convince customers to allow data about how they use products to be communicated to the manufacturer or brand company.

The Internet of Things will only work for marketers if they can offer something compelling in exchange for reaping huge amounts of personal data, Bianchi believes.

"For the customer to tick that "send data" button, you have to add value. If the value is that we're conducting a dermatological survey and by the way we recommend you try this product for your skin, that's pertinent," the Feeligreen founder said. "You're trying to improve a customer's life."

He added that "If it's just asking why the customer hasn't used your product in two weeks, that's not going to work. There's a fine line between value and harassment."

So here is an interesting potential application in the consumer products arena. Is there a similar value proposition outside the unique area of cosmetics? For example, would Folger's find interest - and more importantly value - in insight into your coffee drinking habits from a connected coffee maker or cup?

The hype right now mostly says Yes, but we are very early in this game. As we reported earlier this month, Gartner recently placed the Internet of Things at the very top of its "hype cycle" curve, meaning a "trough of disillusionment" is due shortly, followed (hopefully) by a productive "slope of enlightenment." (See Internet of Things Sits Atop Gartner's Emerging Technology Hype Cycle Curve.)

Do you see good applications for IoT in the consumer products industry?Where and what? Let us know your thoughts at the Feedback section below.

 

Recent Feedback

 

No Feedback on this article yet

 

 
 
   
.