Published on July 18, 2012

The industrial Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) market has doubled over the past two years. Early adopters have demonstrated that WSN is secure, reliable and can be targeted at new monitoring and control solutions that were previously deemed too expensive or located in prohibitively difficult environments. Networks are expanding and analysts have identified several deployments with over 3,000 WSN nodes.

MONTREAL, July 18, 2012 /ATR-Newswire/ ELECTRONICS.CA PUBLICATIONS, the electronics industry market research and knowledge network, announces the availability of a new report entitled "Industrial Wireless Sensor Networks: A Market Dynamics Report".

The industrial Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) market has doubled over the past two years.

An erratic global economy did not prevent the industrial Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) market from doubling over the past two years. Early adopters have demonstrated that WSN is secure, reliable and can be targeted at new monitoring and control solutions that were previously deemed too expensive or located in prohibitively difficult environments. Networks are expanding and analysts have identified several deployments with over 3,000 WSN nodes.

The migration to standards based wireless mesh systems in the process automation space has replaced proprietary systems faster than what our 2010 survey indicated. However, competition for WSN protocols continues to be intense and point-to-point and point-to-multipoint wireless systems are experiencing high growth rates in key verticals such as oil and gas.

For the 2012 industrial Wireless Sensor Network report, analysts collaborated with the International Society of Automation (ISA), HART Communication Foundation (HCF) and the Wireless Industrial Networking Alliance (WINA) to conduct a survey on WSN with 216 industrial automation professionals. Analysts also interviewed 55+ individuals with leading industrial automation vendors, suppliers and industry groups.

In the survey, 70% of the end users are planning WSN or additional WSN deployments within the next 18 months. The survey also found that approximately an equal number of respondents prefer WirelessHART or a hybrid strategy that includes WirelessHART and ISA100.11a.

The standards migration is changing the industrial WSN landscape. This is demonstrated by Linear’s acquisition of Dust Networks and a growing number of new entrants such as AwiaTech, E-Senza and Softing that are focused on open platforms and lowering development costs. Industrial wireless sensing and control opportunities are also growing for non-mesh 802.15.4, WiFi, Bluetooth/802.15.1 and Ultra Wideband.

Installed wireless industrial field devices will increase by 553% between 2011 and 2016 when there will be nearly 24 million wireless-enabled sensors and actuators, or sensing points, deployed worldwide. At this time, 39% will be used for new applications that are only feasible with wireless sensing.

This report covers the global market for industrial Wireless Sensor Networking with 5-year forecasts by geography, landscape (e.g. process, vertical industries, discrete/factory automation), target market (e.g. oil & gas, refining/petrochemicals, chemicals, food & beverage, etc.), application and technology. WSN protocols covered include 802.15.4 (mesh and non-mesh), WiFi and other wireless technologies including point-to-point/point-to-multipoint systems. The report also provides the key findings from the recently completed survey as well as an extensive technology evaluation and competitive analysis of 85 companies in five product segments.

Details of the new report, table of contents and ordering information can be found on Electronics.ca Publications' website. View the report: Industrial Wireless Sensor Networks: A Market Dynamics Report