Edge computing is the driving force behind more industries than you’d think
Edge computing is emerging as a transformative force, revolutionizing industries in unexpected ways. Traditionally, computing power resided in centralized data centers, but with edge computing, this power extends to the “edge” of the network, closer to where data is generated. While it’s widely acknowledged for its role in enhancing performance and reducing latency in fields like telecommunications and IoT, its impact on seemingly unrelated industries is equally profound.
One such industry experiencing a paradigm shift is the entertainment sector. Edge computing is becoming increasingly relevant in the entertainment industry, offering various benefits for content delivery, immersive experiences, and real-time interactions.
Gaming needs edge computing
Mark Lewis, CMO at Pulsant tells EdgeIR: The ‘edge advantage’ in entertainment is most evident in the £7 billion UK gaming market. Modern gaming depends on being immersive – which means graphically intensive, fast paced, seamless exploration without glitches. The key factor here is latency and eliminating lag.
“With users on wi-fi and even 5G, exploring universes via virtual headsets and pushing processors and compute resources to the limit, edge architectures keep data closer to the user and keep that experience fluid. Games are no place for motion sickness or disruption – gamers are an incredibly demanding market and with an average of at least an hour a day spent gaming, word of mouth can make or break a game quickly. The ability of edge architectures to prevent jarring user experiences is a foundational issue for a lot of major publishers.”
He further explains that making gaming a commercial success demands keen analytics and customer behavior data.
“Indeed, games are a superb digital environment in which to test out new user experiences and rapidly iterate them – and gamers will pay a premium for earlier or privileged access to the results. Real time insight in a game can equate to massive increases in in-game purchasing. There are keen parallels here with retail and there are cross sector ideas between XR and immersive retail environments, and gamescapes,” he continues.
“The large amounts of compute power for all of the above takes up valuable space and incurs costs for cooling, security, and connectivity. A local data center will already have this in place and will enable better gaming experiences by being closer to users.”
Edge computing for the film industry
Edge computing transcends conventional boundaries, permeating diverse industries with its transformative potential. By decentralizing computing power and enabling real-time data processing at the network’s edge, it empowers stakeholders to make informed decisions, drive innovation, and unlock new opportunities for growth across unexpected domains.
Slawomir Dziedziula, director MultiLOB and IRS application engineers EMEA at Vertiv, says: “As well as traditional sectors such as telco and retail, edge computing impacts any industry where a business depends heavily on information technology and the infrastructure to support it i.e. enterprise, commercial and industrial operations.
“It plays a common and significant role in overcoming business challenges across these industries. For example, for the entertainment and film sectors, it reduces latency by enabling content to be processed closer to the source in real-time applications; for the finance industry it improves response time and minimizes delays; the healthcare industry benefits from enhanced network performance. In general, edge computing helps any industry that relies on fast and reliable access to data and applications by improving reliability to deliver a more consistent customer experience and operational efficiency. It decentralizes the processing and reduces risk of a single point of failure.
Edge computing for retail growth
Another unexpected beneficiary of edge computing is the retail industry. Beyond streamlining inventory management and enhancing customer experiences, edge computing redefines brick-and-mortar stores. Smart shelves equipped with sensors monitor product availability and consumer behavior, optimizing product placement and pricing strategies in real-time. Furthermore, edge computing powers augmented reality (AR) applications, enabling immersive shopping experiences and personalized recommendations based on individual preferences and browsing history.
An example is the recent announcement from edge networking and computing platforms provider Acumera. The company unveiled its collaboration plans with US-based convenience store and pizza chain Casey’s to support the company’s digital transformation and edge computing initiatives.
As the world continues to embrace the era of digital transformation, the influence of edge computing will only continue to expand, reshaping industries in ways previously unimaginable.
Moreover, edge computing enables businesses to leverage emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) more effectively. By deploying AI models directly at the edge, organizations can harness the power of machine learning algorithms to derive actionable insights from streaming data in real time, driving innovation and enabling proactive decision-making.
Article Topics
edge computing | entertainment | gaming | Pulsant | retail | Vertiv
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