OREANDA-NEWS.  The world is becoming ever more connected. And at times it seems as though the internet and globalization have developed a momentum of their own. Companies like Bosch can help shape these developments, however. At the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2015, Bosch will be showcasing intelligent solutions designed to enable consumers to lead convenient, efficient, and secure lives. These sustainable solutions for a connected world range from smart sensors to smart energy solutions, from eMobility to automated driving, from smart software to smart cities, from telematics to thermotechnology, from home appliances to power tools.

Energy conversion is a core Bosch area of expertise. Bosch offers owners of residential and commercial buildings packages that combine technology and services. Bosch solutions intelligently link and control the generation and consumption of power and heat. This will make the power supply even smarter and more efficient, as well as more decentralized. Bosch’s expertise spans multiple areas here. Its technical systems know-how is the basis of heating and security control systems. The company also offers software and sensor technology as well as services for energy management, remote monitoring, and the handling of business processes. This allows customers to use energy and resources more efficiently, and to reduce costs. The internet of things makes it possible for devices and systems in buildings to communicate with one another.

By 2015, Bosch expects about 75 percent of the world's population to have access to the internet. At the same time, six billion things will be connected to the internet. This development will also bring about major changes in the market for energy and building technology in the coming years, and will pave the way for new services and business models. Bosch already has considerable experience in this realm, for instance with the 50,000 networked heating systems it has already sold. Bosch Security Systems already generates more than half its sales in the video surveillance segment with internet-enabled cameras.

Smart thermostat to control the heating at home via smartphone
Bosch is presenting a wi-fi-enabled remote room controller with a modern touch screen and a corresponding app, which allows users to control their heating systems via their smartphones. Compatible with a wide range of Bosch’s Greenstar gas and oil-fired boilers, the sophisticated smart thermostat allows heating to be adjusted from a smartphone or tablet using a wireless internet connection. The sleek black glass wall-mounted panel is simple to install and connects to the boiler using a low voltage two-wired connection. Through an easy-to-use free app, homeowners can take complete control of their heating and hot water, whether at home, at work, or on holiday. The app not only allows remote adjustment of heating and hot water settings, but also provides valuable information on gas consumption for both heating and hot water, helping homeowners to manage bills in an era of rising energy costs. And users can rely on the extremely high safety and data security standards Bosch has developed. Since all customer data is stored on the controller at the user’s home, privacy is assured – Bosch itself has no access to the data.

Open software platform for the smart home
For a home to be “smart,” it is crucial that all the appliances and systems in the home – e.g., washing machine, heating units, lamps or window blinds – can simply and securely exchange data with each other as well as with smartphones and tablets. ABB, Bosch, and Cisco plan to establish an international joint venture that will develop and operate an open software platform for smart home devices and applications. In addition to developing and operating a software platform, the companies intend to invite appliance electronics manufacturers, home automation vendors, and service providers to join a business ecosystem. The business ecosystem will aim to facilitate collaboration and incorporate a wide range of user requirements when developing the software platform.

Home Connect app connects home appliances from different brands
A common language for all domains is decisive when it comes to the connected home. Bosch is presenting the world's first solution that allows various home appliances from different brands to be controlled and a host of features used with just one app. In addition, Bosch is showcasing the first networked home appliances equipped with this system, including a fridge, an oven, a dishwasher, and a washing machine. The system is designed as an open platform that will keep evolving to cover a growing range of services.

Smart energy system increases efficiency and saves costs
Bosch is demonstrating how smart connectivity can be implemented for electrical and thermal energy using a photovoltaic system combined with the latest in heat pump technology. This solution allows users to consume the lion's share of the electricity they themselves generate from solar power in their own homes – which significantly reduces their electricity costs – while also powering the heat pump so it can extract heat from the air, water, or ground and convert it into energy that can be used for heating or hot water. The Bosch system features an energy management system that knows when the heat pump requires electricity and – provided there has been enough sunshine – answers that need with solar power.

At the heart of the smart control system is e.Control, which is connected to the household's electricity meter and monitors power flows within the home. The system is designed to always prioritize supply to any home appliances currently in operation. Should the photovoltaic system connected to a Bosch inverter generate any surplus power, e.Control sends a signal to the heat pump to heat the hot water tank. This means optimum use is made of the household's solar power, since it avoids feeding any surplus electricity into the grid at too cheap a price. What's more, it relieves the public grid.

Smart energy storage solution
Integrating the Bosch Power Tec BPT-S 5 Hybrid storage solution into this energy system boosts the degree to which a household can make use of self-generated electricity from the photovoltaic system. Even when the sky is overcast or after sunset, the storage system continues to provide the heat pump with a reliable supply of electricity. If the storage system has been integrated, any surplus electricity is sent to the powerful lithium-ion batteries before a signal is sent to the heat pump. When the hot water tank is heated, electrical power is converted into thermal energy, which in effect increases the stored energy. So running such a system is a large step toward achieving independence from the public grid.

Smart security systems for enhanced security at home
Another innovation being presented is a way to access surveillance video remotely. Limited bandwidth makes it impossible to stream HD video on mobile devices whereas dynamic transcoding technology delivers both smooth live video streaming and instant access to HD (1080p) images when needed, regardless of available bandwidth. Combined with the Video Security app, users are allowed access to camera controls, live video streams, and HD images via a mobile device anytime and from anywhere. It also enables users to instantly retrieve the correct video data from hours of recorded material.

Bosch is also showcasing burglar alarm systems. The B-Series intrusion control panels provide convenient security monitoring of homes and small businesses. These flexible panels offer customized security and remote operation from smart phones and tablets. B-Series panels can be programmed to control individual rooms or up to four distinct areas of a home or business property. This enables arming or disarming certain areas – such as a guest suite, sunroom, kitchen, or detached garage – without affecting other rooms. The panels check for open windows and doors, monitor smoke detectors, activate panic devices and perform other services to keep homes and businesses secure. The Remote Security Control app allows system operation from iOS or Android devices. Arm or disarm the system, check status and control monitored devices over the panel’s cellular connection, the internet, or through a local wireless network using a hand-held device. Event notifications – such as alarms or other warnings – can also be sent directly to mobile phones to keep owners informed about the status of their homes or businesses while they are away.

In addition, Bosch is presenting the Z-Wave Home Control Gateway. This solution allows Bosch B-Series control panels to be connected with Z-Wave devices including lighting controls, door locks, temperature sensors, IP cameras, and more, in order to provide customers with home automation and remote monitoring capabilities. Programming possibilities include automatically arming the security system when an exterior door is locked or disarming the system when the door is unlocked. When a user leaves home, tapping an “away” button on a smartphone can also trigger the doors to lock, the security system to arm, interior lights to turn off and the thermostat to adjust to conserve energy and reduce costs. These are just a few of the options available for effortless home control, as the intuitive wizard makes it easy for integrators to program trigger- or schedule-based automation tailored for each customer. A web interface allows the user access to a system dashboard and home control via an iOS or Android smartphone or other web-enabled device.

Smart mobility solutions: more safety and convenience on the road
20 years ago, the internet revolutionized computing. Over the next few years, it will revolutionize the car. At the CES, Bosch is demonstrating how it is making cars an active part of the internet – and bringing drivers a range of benefits. Bosch already has extensive know-how in all relevant areas. The company offers hardware that establishes the connection to the outside world, a flexible basic software suite that brings together service providers and users, as well as numerous related services.

The physical enabler for any smart solution is Bosch’s connectivity control unit. This small box is connected to the in-car network and comprises a GMS module for communication, and usually also a GPS module that provides data on the current position – important information for many services. Bosch offers the unit in various configurations for applications in passenger cars, trucks, as well as motorcycles. As early as 2016, for example, Bosch expects every new long-haul commercial vehicle in Europe and the United States to be offered with a networking solution.

The wholly-owned subsidiary Bosch Software Innovations offers a modular software suite that can be flexibly utilized. For example, it has been in use as the basis for a networked and easy-to-use vehicle charging infrastructure in Singapore since 2011 and as the basis for a fleet management service in Germany since 2013. From 2015, it will form the platform for an innovative intermodal transportation concept in Stuttgart.

Bosch’s new telematics services provide greater transparency and a clearer overview for fleet operators. Via the interface for the on-board diagnosis (OBD) system in the vehicle, journey and service data is sent to Bosch for data analysis. On the basis of this evaluated data, the fleet operator can optimize operating and maintenance times. Thanks to the integration of GPS vehicle tracking, services such as an electronic logbook and a theft warning system are also available. This helps to reduce the overall cost of the vehicle.

A truly lifesaving solution is the in-vehicle emergency notification service eCall. If the system detects that the vehicle has been involved in an accident, this information is sent to a Bosch communication center which is manned around the clock. The center’s multilingual associates contact the driver and alert the police as well as emergency services if necessary.

Bosch is pushing connectivity forward in workshops
Connectivity doesn’t end when the car has to go in for service or repair. Since vehicle electronics are getting ever more powerful and complex, Bosch has made it possible for workshops to access certain vehicle data helpful for error diagnosis and repair online. Bosch’s “Flex Inspect” diagnostic system can automatically read out the fault memory, check the battery, tire inflation pressure, and chassis geometry. On the basis of this, a customer service advisor is able to immediately discuss any necessary repairs with the driver. During the repair work, the technician can make use of augmented reality technology. After focusing the diagnostics tablet computer’s camera on the engine compartment, relevant information such as repair instructions and necessary tools are superimposed on the image. The time-consuming consultation of service manuals is thus unnecessary. Even parts that are hidden behind covers or the dashboard can be depicted as three-dimensional images. Error diagnosis and repair has never been so easy.

New display techniques and an appealing smartphone integration solution
On one hand, new connected services are leading to an ever increasing amount of information. On the other hand, driver distraction must be minimized. At the CES, Bosch is showcasing technical solutions that help to prioritize information and display it in a highly intuitive way. A particularly attractive approach is display-based instrument clusters. These replace conventional displays and project all of the instrument, navigation, and multimedia information into the driver's field of vision. Depending on the situation and the driver’s wishes, they offer different layouts. Two Bosch solutions for fully display-based instrument clusters are already in series production in the BMW i8 and the Audi TT, with more to come. Another cost-effective solution is the Bosch combiner head-up display. The system does not project the information onto the windshield but instead onto a small special plastic screen positioned below it. This image is superimposed on the scenery outside the vehicle in such a way that these appear to merge with one another at a distance of around two meters in front of the vehicle. Since 2014, the system has been installed in a variety of BMW Group vehicles.

Connectivity with the outside world is currently achieved mainly via the smartphone. With its mySPIN solution, Bosch is offering a highly appealing way to integrate Android-based phones as well as iOS-based ones. mySPIN creates a perfect device-vehicle link and ensures much safer and more reliable in-car use. Other Bosch infotainment systems being showcased at the CES demonstrate natural voice input or a navigation system that offers a proactive driving strategy based on real-time traffic info. To keep the new assistance and convenience functions up-to-date, the Bosch subsidiary ESCRYPT is showcasing a solution for secure wireless software updates.

Assisted driving and e-bike demos at the Vehicle Intelligence Marketplace
The mobility of the future is electrified, automated, and connected. At the outdoor area of the vehicle intelligence marketplace, Bosch is showcasing innovations that bring us a step closer to automated driving. A demonstration vehicle featuring the Bosch traffic jam assistant will prove that self-guided driving in heavy traffic already has become reality. The car can brake, accelerate, and steer within its lane completely independently. The driver still has to monitor the vehicle, but the overall burden is much lower. Visitors are also welcome to try out e-bikes of various brands featuring Bosch e-bike drive units on a dedicated course. There will also be an overview of Bosch’s various sensor technologies as well as its wide range of electromobility solutions, from e-bikes and e-scooters to hybrid and fully-electric vehicles.

Smart devices, software, and sensors
Bosch is the global market leader in the area of microelectromechanical sensors (MEMS), a key technology when it comes to connecting things over the internet. Today, every second smartphone in the world is equipped with Bosch sensors. Bosch's strategic aim is to offer solutions for connected mobility, networked production, as well as for networked energy systems and buildings. Intelligent sensors represent the next level of technical advancement. These are equipped with a radio interface and a microcontroller. As a result, sensors are able to transmit relevant data via the internet, for instance to mobile end devices. Software integration is decisive for the next wave of advancement in micromechanics, which are already widespread in automotive and consumer electronics.

All objects can be fitted with sensors and wi-fi devices and assigned their very own web address for exchanging data. This connectivity is the cornerstone of the internet of things. It is what makes connected living happen. Bosch provides sensors for a wide range of uses in the automotive and consumer electronics applications. Every second smartphone in the world is equipped with a Bosch sensor. Following the technological trend to a greater range of measurable variables and increased intelligence, Bosch Sensortec will unveil a new multi-functional sensor at CES 2015 that integrates four measurands, enabling a new range of applications in areas such as consumer electronics, wearables, and the IoT. Bosch brand Akustica will also highlight its high-performance, HD voice microphone portfolio.

The aim is to transmit only relevant information to the internet, and not raw data. This local data processing calls for the special kind of systems know-how that Bosch brings to the table. But there is practically no limit to what can still be connected via sensors. As a result, things that were free of electronics in the past, such as doors and windows, will be able to transmit data on their status to the internet. In brief, micromechanics make the internet of things possible. With its new company Bosch Connected Devices and Solutions GmbH, Bosch aims to develop new solutions in this realm. The company focuses on the segments Smart Home, Transport, Logistics and Traffic, Smart Activity, and Connected Industry.

A new dimension in charging: Bosch Wireless Charging System
Bosch is the world's first supplier to enable the advantages of inductive energy transfer to be used with cordless tools. With its Wireless Charging System, Bosch is presenting a new dimension in charging technology and providing new ways to make working with cordless tools efficient, cost-saving, and time-saving. The technology, which is used in other areas in devices such as charging stations for electric toothbrushes and recently also in cellphones, is based on contactless energy transfer. An alternating magnetic field is generated in the transmitter using a coil. The receiver also contains a coil which is penetrated by the alternating magnetic field. This induces a voltage and generates a current flow. In the case of Bosch's Wireless Charging System, this means that the charger emits a magnetic field which is received by the battery and transformed into charging current. However, the power transferred is more than 50 times greater than that used in ordinary electric toothbrushes (one watt), in order to reach the same charging times as those provided by conventional power tool battery chargers.