Autodesk Jumps into the Internet of Things Market with SeeControl

Image courtesy of NCTA.

At Autodesk University 2015, the CAD giant debuted a number of new software products and ideas, including an Internet of Things (IoT) platform, SeeControl. Autodesk had acquired SeeControl in August, and this was a chance to show 10,000 of their users assembled in Las Vegas how they too were big into IoT.

But why?

Put simply, IoT is one of the biggest trends in product. Sure, it’s admittedly a hollow term that that’s more jargon than definition, but nevertheless it’s going to be a huge part of our future. But…

What Is IoT?

IoT refers to products that have been designed with embedded electronics that allow them to collect and exchange data over a network, usually the Internet. This data can be used to augment product functionality, improve further product development or monitor product performance.

What Is SeeControl?

A typical SeeControl dashboard

SeeControl is a no-code, cloud-based, enterprise IoT service that gives designers the ability to collect the data being generated by the products they offer. SeeControl also offers designers the ability to analyze and manage that data through tools that can be operated by anyone, not just software developers.

SeeControl lets users build algorithms by using drag-and-drop modules that can process the data being generated. Once passed through a customized algorithm, SeeControl will produce reports that companies can use for a variety of purposes—from updating customers on maintenance needs and mining data to driving product innovation and more.

How Will Autodesk Ride the IoT Wave?

Although IoT is still a fledgling part of the design process, Autodesk believes that data collection and monitoring will be a tremendous driver of product innovation in the future. SeeControl’s CEO Bryan Kester believes that with rigorous monitoring, companies will be able to not only create better products, but also develop new revenue streams.

Given that Autodesk’s products such as Fusion360, Inventor and 123DConnect are used to build a vast number of products from industrial machines to smart watches, it makes sense for the CAD giant to have an IoT suite that can be seamlessly integrated into the Autodesk family of products.

At Autodesk University 2015, there was a big push to show that Autodesk’s future is one in which they offer an end-to-end solution for product design and development. Now that Fusion360 is beginning to implement CAM and simulation functions, we’re beginning to see this vision manifest itself. I can image that it won’t be long before SeeControl becomes another extension of a larger solution that’s cloud based, collaborative and, most importantly, easy to use.