What exactly is so smart about “smart” connected products — and just what are they connected to?

The internet of things has been with us for some time now — the term was coined 25 years ago — but recent improvements in the technology have made possible the creation of products and parts that can be reasonably described as “smart,” at least in the context of the role they play in the supply chain. Combine that with the word connected, and you have a technology that’s revolutionizing industrial manufacturing and consumer products. That’s the contention of Shelby Koons, senior manager of advanced manufacturing and mobility with Ernst & Young LLP. She explains how smart connected products, which can take the form of anything from parts for assembly to industrial machinery to consumer gadgets, are bringing value to the supply chain — “driving a new growth agenda.” She cites some uses cases, especially in the area of energy management. And she addresses the question of when a “smart” product becomes too smart in the eyes of the consumer. Finally, we ask the question: At what point does a smart connected product become dumb? Hosted by Bob Bowman, Editor-in-Chief of SupplyChainBrain.

Show notes: 

An EY paper: How Can Smart Connected Products Change the Way Manufacturers Operate?