Industry News

Power management company Eaton today announced it joined the Georgia Institute of Technology’s Center for the Development and Application of Internet of Things Technologies (CDAIT), an Atlanta-based research center dedicated to developing and applying Internet of Things (IoT) technologies. As a member company with a Lighting Division based in the Atlanta area, Eaton provides Georgia Tech students and faculty with lighting expertise and hands-on training to help support research that further enables transformational IoT technologies.

In recent years, the IoT has emerged as a new frontier that promises to reshape how people, data and devices interact. The increasing interconnectivity created by the combination of the internet, mobile devices, embedded sensors, data analytics and cloud computing has opened new avenues for technological innovation.

“IoT systems are laying the groundwork for smart, connected buildings, communities and homes, and lighting is a key factor in the enablement and adoption of these technologies,” said Parth Joshi, chief technology officer and vice president, Engineering, Eaton’s Lighting Division. “Working with the students and faculty at Georgia Tech’s CDAIT, we look forward to expanding our research into the many possibilities of IoT-enabled devices while helping find new ways to apply them to serve the needs of businesses, governments and consumers.”

Eaton’s CDAIT membership is part of a broader commitment to developing and implementing IoT-connected applications that improve efficiency through controls and data. The new Connected Lighting Classroom at Eaton’s SOURCE Lightin­g Education Center near Atlanta features in-depth training and hands-on demonstrations to educate lighting specifiers, architects, engineers, electrical contractors, builders and university students about IoT-connected lighting solutions.

“CDAIT is working to effectively and efficiently unite the many pieces of the IoT puzzle, from sensing and actuating technology to information extraction,” said Alain Louchez, managing director of CDAIT. “By bringing Eaton’s experts together with our students and faculty, we will increase our understanding of the role lighting plays in IoT connectivity while expanding, educating and energizing the market around the unique capabilities of IoT applications.”

A key element in this developing relationship is Eaton’s engineering office in Midtown Atlanta, which will enable a direct connection to the Georgia Tech campus and the talented, aspiring engineers driving innovation in lighting.

“We are extremely pleased and honored to welcome a distinguished company such as Eaton to the Executive Advisory Board (‘the Board”) of CDAIT to advise and guide CDAIT’s direction,” added Jeff Evans, Chairman of the CDAIT Board.

To learn more about CDAIT, visit www.cdait.gatech.edu.

CDAIT (pronounced "sedate") is a global, non-profit, partner-funded center within the Georgia Institute of Technology (“Georgia Tech”) located in Atlanta that fosters interdisciplinary research and education while driving general awareness about the Internet of Things. It aims at efficiently identifying, understanding and solving for its sponsors challenges and problems that may arise along the whole IoT value chain. CDAIT bridges sponsors with Georgia Tech faculty and researchers as well as industry members with similar interests.

To learn more about the Eaton’s lighting solutions, visit www.eaton.com/lighting.   

Eaton delivers a range of innovative and reliable indoor and outdoor lighting solutions, as well as controls products specifically designed to maximize performance, energy efficiency and cost savings. Eaton lighting solutions serve customers in the commercial, industrial, retail, institutional, residential, utility and other markets.

Eaton’s electrical business is a global leader with expertise in power distribution and circuit protection; backup power protection; control and automation; lighting and security; structural solutions and wiring devices; solutions for harsh and hazardous environments; and engineering services. Eaton is positioned through its global solutions to answer today’s most critical electrical power management challenges.

Eaton is a power management company with 2016 sales of $19.7 billion. We provide energy-efficient solutions that help our customers effectively manage electrical, hydraulic and mechanical power more efficiently, safely and sustainably. Eaton is dedicated to improving the quality of life and the environment through the use of power management technologies and services. Eaton has approximately 95,000 employees and sells products to customers in more than 175 countries. For more information, visit Eaton.com