Google-Fujitsu join 'smart objects' alliance

Internet powerhouse Google and Japanese electronics giant Fujitsu have joined an alliance to promote the ability of objects from appliances to cars to communicate with one another online.

The IPSO Alliance said Friday that Google and Fujitsu raise the ranks of the year-old organization to 53 members and bring significant weight to a drive toward a world rich with "smart objects."

"Google's participation in IPSO is a result of its expectation that many devices will become part of the Internet environment," said Google vice president and chief Internet evangelist Vint Cerf.

"Google's PowerMeter application makes use of this idea to help Smart Grid users capture and analyze their energy usage information."

PowerMeter is a free online tool that allows users to view real-time energy use in homes with the goal of helping conserve power and cut utility costs.

"The addition of Google and its PowerMeter service to the Alliance really completes the smart grid circle within IPSO," said alliance chairman Geoff Mulligan.

"Not only will consumers be able to use the products and services of IPSO Alliance member companies to connect their home to the grid, they also will be able to monitor how those appliances, and their entire home, are consuming energy."

The roster of alliance members includes Bosch, Cisco, Ericsson, Intel, SAP, Sun Microsystems and Texas Instruments.

Fujitsu will support standard Internet protocol for communications between smart objects, according to the alliance.

(c) 2009 AFP