May 31, 2018The following are news announcements made during the past week by the following organizations:
iDTronic;
eMarketsEurope;
Ayla Networks;
Ayyeka;
CoreKinect, Cox Communications; and the
Wireless Broadband Alliance.
iDTronic Releases New Android-based RFID Reader
iDTronic has announced that its C4 Red mobile reader is available in an Android-based version, known as the Nougat. The device supports mobile device management (MDM), Android for Work and all other enterprise mobile management (EMM) systems. The mobile computer, with an IP65 protection class, is suited for industrial applications, the company reports.
The C4 Red features a quad-core processor, a 4500 mAh battery (expandable to 8000 mAh), a Honeywell bar-code engine, and RFID reading capability for UHF, HF, NFC and LF. Companies can read large numbers of tags from long distances efficiently, the firm explains, particularly in the areas of asset management, retailing, warehousing and fleet management.
Data connections for different areas and applications make working in changing environments feasible, according to the company. With support for 4G LTE and the dual Wi-Fi frequency (2.4 and 5.8 GHz), users can accelerate working speeds, collecting data via both bar-code and RFID options.
The C4 Red is available in different versions and enables companies to read two RFID frequencies on a single device (such as HF and UHF), or to read only bar codes and not RFID technology. The development package includes Android Studio and Eclipse Sources demo apps for RFID and bar-code options. Typical applications include asset tracking, retail, e-ticketing, access control, logistics and warehousing.
Research and Markets Explores Global RFID Transponder Market
A new report from Research and Markets, titled "Global RFID Transponder Market 2018," depicts the current state of the RFID transponder industry and signifies key components of the market that allow users to make vital business decisions and enhance the growth of market share. Basic product definitions, applications, industry chain structure and classifications are contained in the report, which details different market policies, economic and technological frameworks and market dynamics.
The study discusses supply surplus, consumption value, major advancements and product scope, and also includes region-wise classifications of the RFID transponder industry. Areas included are the Asia-Pacific region (covering Japan, India, Southeast Asia, Korea and China), Europe (covering France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Russia and Italy), North America (covering Canada, Mexico and the United States) and Latin America.
Additionally, the report conveys information regarding growth rate, product modernization and prominent marketing players. The researchers analyze the strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats (SWOT) with regard to RFID transponders. Along with SWOT analysis, the report discusses investment feasibility and investment return analysis. A sample copy can be requested here.
Market segmentation is provided according to types, end users, market size, applications and leading manufacturers. The report offers various favorable factors in order to push RFID transponder market worldwide, and cites Sanofi, Glaxo Smith Kline, Johnson and Johnson and Pfizer as global RFID transponder market players.
Ayla Networks Adds Google Cloud Platform Support to Its IoT Platform
Ayla Networks, which offers an Internet of Things (IoT)-based platform-as-a-service (PaaS) to provide device virtualization and management, has announced that it will integrate its IoT platform device connectivity and management technologies with Google Cloud Platform, to offer an end-to-end IoT solution that enables rapid time to market and business value for companies launching connected products.
"We are excited to work with Ayla to provide companies with the resources needed to succeed when developing connected products," said Antony Passemard, Google Cloud IoT's head of product management, in a prepared statement. "Combined with the power of GCP, Ayla's technology will enable more companies to tap directly into Google Cloud's renowned application enablement, AI, machine learning and data analytics capabilities to deliver the outcomes that meet their business needs."
Adding access to GCP services strengthens Ayla's connectivity, device-management and application-enablement solution, the company reports. According to Ayla, businesses can achieve faster time to market by taking advantage of its connectivity options and device-virtualization and -management features; scale connected device deployments securely and with high reliability; and attain rapid time to business value by leveraging Ayla's flexible data pipeline along with GCP's application-enablement options, both native and partner-based.
"Success in IoT starts with the ability to virtualize any physical device and rapidly connect it with other digital services and virtualized devices," said David Friedman, Ayla Networks' CEO, in the prepared statement. "Then, the real value of IoT happens when the data from interconnected devices can be ingested into applications and services able to transform the data in ways that support better decisions and drive business outcomes."
By integrating with GCP, Ayla says it will give companies a new option for unlocking the value contained within their connected-device data. The Ayla IoT platform, running on GCP, is currently in beta-testing with selected customers, and is expected to be made generally available during the fourth quarter of 2018.
Ayyeka Announces LoRa Support for IoT Gateway
Ayyeka has announced that its Wavelet Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) gateway device now supports LoRa, a low-power wide-area network (LPWAN) protocol. With the addition of the optional LoRa module, operators will be able to collect near-real-time data from locations with limited traditional cellular network infrastructure, or none at all.
The Wavelet enables the plug-and-play connection of industrial sensors to monitoring and control applications, such as SCADA systems, allowing the creation of smart infrastructure networks. The LoRa network allows operators to collect data from sensors in remote and challenging locations where traditional cellular networks do not have coverage, such as oilfields and wastewater networks. Because LoRa networks operate over the unlicensed part of the radio spectrum, operators can set up and operate their own IoT-suitable communications channel.
The LoRa-supporting Wavelet is being made available to customers in every sales territory in which Ayyeka sells Wavelets, including North America and EMEA. To date, the company has sold more than 500 LoRa-enabled devices, including those purchased for a large-scale project in Italy. The LoRa module is being made available as an add-on to the Wavelet and is not included by default.
"LoRa is an important addition to our offering," said Tal Avrahami, Ayyeka's senior product manager, in a prepared statement. "There are significant advantages in performance and reliability of Wavelet devices using both LoRa and cellular connectivity."
With low-power LoRa modules, operators have the ability to transmit data in near-real-time while consuming less battery power, the company reports. Cellular communications can be utilized to handle tasks requiring a larger downlink payload, including changing device configurations and applying firmware upgrades. Using both technologies in unison also improves communications redundancy, the company adds, in order to help ensure the visibility of critical assets.
CoreKinect, Cox Communications Team Up for IoT Solutions
CoreKinect, a startup specializing in the development of customized hardware solutions within the Internet of Things (IoT) domain, has announced that it will provide sensor-based solutions for Cox Communications' Cox2M Connected Asset Services business line. CoreKinect will design and develop the hardware, which is integral to asset-tracking products that are part of Cox2M's end-to-end IoT solutions.
"We are very pleased to partner with such a forward-looking organization as Cox Communications," said Assar Badri, CoreKinect's CEO and co-founder, in a prepared statement. "Cox is redefining the IoT space by introducing custom, purpose-built sensors at market disrupting price points."
"The depth and breadth of CoreKinect's team, quality product development, and complete supply chain solutions will help ensure a successful deployment for our Cox2M business line," said Josh Sommer, Cox Communications' executive director of new growth strategy, in the prepared statement. "CoreKinect's low-power, wide-area network and asset tracking systems provide an agnostic communications platform that will allow Cox Communications to deliver end-to-end IoT solutions."
Applications for CoreKinect technologies include asset tracking, smart home and city systems, wearables, agriculture and energy solutions. From initial design to assembly line, CoreKinect manages the entire production of IoT products. Cox2M will use CoreKinect products as part of its solutions to collect data from client-connected assets and enable organizations to track, monitor and manage mobile and fixed assets. It can be integrated into an organization's existing systems and processes. The solution includes advanced analytics and machine-learning capabilities to provide real-time customer insights.
"Working with Cox Communications demonstrates the dependability and capability of our rapid product development process," said Ali Kozlica, CoreKinect's president and co-founder, in the prepared statement. "We look forward to supporting the Cox2M Connected Asset Services business line with powerful, cost-effective solutions."
Wireless Broadband Alliance Establishes IoT Roaming Requirements
The Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) has published a white paper titled: "IoT Interoperability: Dynamic Roaming," which investigates how existing Wi-Fi roaming capabilities could help the Internet of Things (IoT) market with the evolution of IoT device roaming, ensuring those devices can seamlessly talk to each other. The aim of the study is to provide a framework for IoT roaming, and to demonstrate the value and opportunities to enhance the functionality for existing technologies with the use of the WBA's Wireless Roaming Intermediary eXchange (WRIX) specification, in areas such as authentication, financial and data clearing, invoicing, security and automation.
During the past 10 years, the WBA has provided building blocks that are scalable and allow operators to build revenue streams in the Wi-Fi world. The ecosystem now leverages more frictionless business opportunities, the organization reports, and IoT players may benefit from similar opportunities.
While roaming is being accomplished on different types of networks, such as cellular and Wi-Fi, the diversity of devices and the exponential growth in the market—forecast at more than 20 billion IoT devices by 2020—means there is a distinct need for interoperability to allow the cross-network roaming of devices. The white paper addresses the need to find a dynamic way for devices to search for a computable network and automatically roam at scale without intervention. It focuses on common requirements to enable IoT devices to connect to a non-home access network, successfully authenticate, enable accounting and facilitate subsequent billing while taking into consideration potential security and scalability concerns.
The study outlines how WRIX—the use of a modularized set of specifications to facilitate roaming between operators—can be used across the IoT market for lessons learned, best practices and standards when developing each technology's roaming specifications. Using the WRIX specification as a guideline for roaming, organizations can prepare their networks to facilitate simple, seamless and secure IoT connectivity for users.
The report highlights several areas in which WRIX can be used or enhanced to address the immediate challenge of massive scalability, such as adding RADSEC capabilities to the WRIX framework to enhance the security of IoT applications and enable automatic security for new deployment scenarios; using the WRIX framework as best practice to address the issue of identity and authentication between security domains; and expanding the current WRIX definitions and specifications to include LoRa Alliance and MulteFire Alliance roaming support, to allow other IoT use cases to be supported. For IoT technology that was built from the ground up (and, therefore, involves a specific assessment on interwork possibilities), the WBA outlines collaboration opportunities.
"Cross-network device roaming is becoming increasingly important to fulfil the vast scalability requirements of the IoT. Yet deploying IoT roaming services is no easy feat, and the process will take several years," said Tiago Rodrigues, the WBA's general manager, in a prepared statement. "The industry must work together, which is why the WBA is advocating the use of WRIX to provide industry-wide standards for service providers. Having identified several areas where the framework can be enhanced, the WBA is now working to evolve WRIX to increase its capabilities, longevity, and industry value to support IoT roaming use cases."
The new framework will be trialed by the WBA and its members, using experience acquired with previous end-to-end interoperability trials, such as Next Generation Hotspot (NGH). The WBA is also in discussions with several industry alliances, including the LoRa Alliance, the MulteFire Alliance and Eduroam, regarding the development of a roaming framework for specific IoT technologies similar to the WRIX approach for Wi-Fi roaming.
