As an electricity meter manufacturer, OSAKI has produced equipment and devices that measure and control electric power throughout its history. Today, the smart meter with telecommunication function that is being installed to homes throughout the world. OSAKI believes that large changes will be seen in the way people live and work as a consequence.
For instance, the telecommunication feature of a smart meter will enable control of electronics and appliances in the home. The single smart meter could also manage the integrated billing of electricity, gas, and water. In fact, automated control may be possible for efficiency with respect to air conditioning, floor heating, bath-water heating, etc., and contribute to energy conservation in everyone’s home.
The demand for smart meters is growing as a consequence of network digitalization of the electric power grid. In Japan, the smart meter market has experienced rapid expansion as of late, with installations at a pace of 12 million units annually. OSAKI has prepared a production and supply organization for a vast array of residential and industrial smart meters, and is contributing to the structuring of Japan’s smart grid.
Technology associated with the Internet of Things (IoT) connects devices to each other. Leveraging the telecommunication and control technologies cultivated under its recognized leadership in smart meters, OSAKI has developed a suite of IoT services that can monitor and control a wide range of devices and equipment.
Named the Watch Series, the services operate from connections established between various units installed in a home, retail outlet, manufacturing site, agricultural facility, urban setting, etc., and supply expedience and greater assurance to our everyday living.
The build-out and validation activities associated with the future power transmission grid, also called the smart grid, are becoming much more pronounced worldwide. The smart meter represents a critical device in these endeavors: Real-time metering of electric power and capacity for data communication can deliver a spectrum of value through the reduced cost of power to the end user. OSAKI is responding to the global smart metering revolution, principally through its international subsidiary EDMI.