Machine-to-machine (M2M) communcations will become a thriving market in the next four years, according to a research report issued by Wireless Data Research Group.

M2M promises to give businesses new kinds of intelligence. Machines will automatically communicate information about objects.

RFID is driving this trend, an article at Internet News suggests:

"A mix of tags and sensors could let a company monitor the state of perishable or high-value items. For example, placing a tag on a package of ice cream bars gives it an identity. If the tag can communicate with a sensor in the warehouse, one in the truck and another one in the store's freezer cabinet, the supplier can be sure that the ice cream was kept at the proper temperature during shipment and storage. If a reading is out of range, the system can automatically alert a technician to service the cooler, or automatically adjust the thermostat."