Dec 21, 2017The following are news announcements made during the past week by the following organizations:
Ams;
DENSO, InfiniteKey;
RS Components;
InfluxData, the Eclipse Foundation;
the ZigBee Alliance, the Thread Group;
AIM, RAIN RFID and the NFC Forum.
Ams Launches NFC Smart Sensor IC for Wireless Temperature Loggers
PRESS RELEASE:
Ams (SIX: AMS), a leading worldwide supplier of high performance sensor solutions, today introduced the AS39513, an NFC sensor tag and data logger IC for smart labels which enables more efficient and accurate monitoring of the condition of assets such as food, pharmaceuticals and healthcare products in storage and in transit. The new device is a complete digital sensor with an NFC front end that can easily be integrated into smart labels. A unique ID as well as logged temperature and other data stored in its internal memory can be read by any authorized NFC reader such as a smartphone or tablet.
Smart labels based on the AS39513 enable manufacturers, shippers and retailers to examine detailed logs of the conditions in which individual packages in a shipment have been kept, and to establish for instance whether perishable goods such as fresh food are in perfect condition on arrival.
The AS39513 provides a complete solution for temperature monitoring and NFC connectivity. It includes an NFC front end, a temperature sensor and an analog interface to an external sensor. Other functions integrated in the IC are a real-time clock, a 10-bit ADC, a configurable data-logging engine, a 9kbit password-protected EEPROM and a serial peripheral interface (SPI) to connect to an external microcontroller. The AS39513 is available as a bumped die or in a chipscale package which is only 0.3mm high.
Powered by a single-cell (typically 1.5V) or dual-cell (3V) battery, the AS39513 can store up to 1,020 time-stamped sensor measurements. Fully compliant with ISO15693 and NFC-V (T5T) stan-dards, it can be read over a range of a few centimeters with an NFC mobile phone. An extended read range of 1-2m can be achieved when using dedicated ISO15693 readers, offering the ability to read multiple AS39513 tags simultaneously in cabinets or refrigerators.
The new AS39513, which supersedes the ams SL13A sensor tag, has a higher-performance temperature sensor which offers guaranteed accuracy of ±0.5°C in the critical range from -20°C to 10°C, and ±1°C over an extended range from -20°C to 55°C.
The AS39513's integrated temperature sensor makes it ideal for use in cold-chain monitoring pro-ducts such as smart labels used in the food, pharmaceuticals and healthcare sectors. It is powered by the ams Cool-Log engine, which allows for full control and configuration of logging modes and timings. Temperature measurements can be taken at fixed intervals, or triggered when the temperature crosses a set threshold, or by a signal from an external device.
The Cool-Log engine is one of the core innovations in the AS39513 as it offers operational flexibility and ultra-low power consumption without the need for a microcontroller. Drawing just 2µA of stand-by current, the AS39513 can autonomously log temperature data for more than a year on a 30mAh single-cell battery[1]. This superior power performance enables the use of smaller and cheaper batteries, paving the way to farm-to-fork item-level tagging. The chip operates in passive mode and harvests energy from a reader's incoming RF field, supplying external circuitry with a current of up to 3mA at 1.8V.
"The AS39513 is a fully integrated smart wireless sensor which lets manufacturers, shippers and retailers verify that pharmaceuticals, food and other goods have been properly stored and transported. It enables them to acquire detailed records of the temperature and other conditions in which a single package has been kept, and if necessary reject the shipment", said Giancarlo Cutrignelli, Head of Marketing for the Wireless Sensor Nodes business line at ams.
"In addition, by using modern RFID assembly processes in conjunction with printed electronic batteries, our customers can reduce manufacturing costs and comply with the most stringent regulations for environmental protection, such as RoHS, REACH and EU Directive 2006/66/EC, making smart sensor tags truly disposable and eco-friendly", he said.
The AS39513 is available in production volumes now. Unit pricing is US$1.19 in order quantities of 5,000. A demonstration kit, including an evaluation board and a sample app for devices running on the Android operating system, is available from the ams ICdirect online store.
DENSO Acquires InfiniteKey
PRESS RELEASE:
DENSO, one of the world's largest automotive technology, systems and components suppliers, has acquired Holland, Mich.-based InfiniteKey, Inc., along with several key patents and R&D resources. The acquisition provides foundational pieces to developing phone-as-a-key technology and increases DENSO's lead in developing and deploying smartphone-based automotive access, a critical component of the company's strategy to create a future with frictionless mobility. This type of technology will become increasingly important for automakers, as ridesharing and driverless services progress beyond the need for keys.
"When we consider the future of mobility, the customer experience is always at the forefront of our design. Eliminating the need for physical keys will create a headache-free experience for car owners, and ridesharing and driverless services users," said Bill Foy, senior vice president of Engineering, DENSO International America. "This acquisition brings us one step closer to making this experience a reality and advancing vehicle access technologies."
InfiniteKey has developed advanced techniques for microlocating smartphones relative to vehicles using standard Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE). This technology allows automakers to rely on phones as passive keys, in the same way they rely upon dedicated passive key fobs today. Unlike key fobs, however, phones as passive key systems enable a broad range of mobility services, such as ridesharing and driverless services.
"This acquisition demonstrates DENSO's aggressive approach to supporting startups and technologies we view as significantly valuable for the future of the transportation industry," said Tony Cannestra, director of Corporate Ventures, DENSO International America. "Whether it's through direct investment or acquisition, DENSO will find a way to support and partner with companies to help transform mobility."
Kevin Virta, CEO of InfiniteKey, expressed his team's enthusiasm for joining forces with DENSO. "Becoming part of DENSO, with its global reach and world-class engineering, means our phone-as-a-key technology can reach the broadest possible penetration in the automotive market," said Virta. "We are looking forward to making significant contributions to DENSO's efforts to lead the way in automotive technologies of the future."
InfiniteKey has been acquired by DENSO International America, DENSO's North American regional headquarters, and is now a satellite office. DENSO completed its transaction of InfiniteKey in October 2017. Terms were not disclosed.
RS Components Intros Smart RFID Readers for Industrial Control Panel Applications
PRESS RELEASE:
RS Components (RS), the trading brand of Electrocomponents plc (LSE:ECM), the global distributor for engineers, has announced availability of OsiSense XG smart RFID-tag antennas from Telemecanique Sensors. ( https://uk.rs-online.com/web/c/?sra=oss&r=t&searchTerm=telemecanique+rfid ) These new devices target access-control use in industrial machine-control-panel applications, as well as deployment in production workshops or traceability applications.
Using RFID cards to automatically determine authorised operations, these types of systems are increasingly being used as a method of product tracking and as the replacement for traditional barcode or electromagnetic systems. Delivering better security due to operator and tool identification, the Telemecanique OsiSense system can deliver profiled access: for example, enabling the display of information according to the operator's profile, such as whether they are a manager or a maintenance operator.
The OsiSense XG system operates at 13.56 MHz and uses tag readers that are read/write compatible with almost all tags conforming to ISO18000-3, ISO15693 and ISO14443, which is the vast majority of 13.56 MHz tags on the market. Offering a typical life of 2.5 million write cycles and unlimited read cycles, typical sensing distance of the RFID-tag readers is from 10mm up to 70mm.
Featuring integral antennas and simple installation, the OsiSense XG smart tag readers do not require software or specific programming and can be mounted easily on a panel through a standard 22 mm hole. In addition, they are very small with dimensions of only 40 x 40 x 39.5 mm and feature robust sealing up to IP69K. Industry-standard M12 connectors can be used for cabling the smart readers up to industrial networks or other equipment and systems.
The OsiSense XG smart RFID antennas from Telemecanique Sensors are shipping now from RS in the EMEA and Asia Pacific regions.
InfluxData Announces Eclipse Foundation Membership
PRESS RELEASE:
InfluxData, the modern Open Source Platform built specifically for metrics, events and other time series data that empowers developers to build next-generation IoT monitoring and analytics applications, today announced it is now a member of the Eclipse Foundation, one of the leading open source software foundations in the world. InfluxData has also joined the Eclipse IoT Working Group.
Eclipse is rapidly becoming the de facto standard for IoT software platforms, and its IoT Working Group is designed to give industry best practices, deployment frameworks and standards to help IoT projects succeed. InfluxData's InfluxDB time series database built from the ground up to handle high write and query loads is already at the core of much of the Eclipse IoT platform architecture, helping organizations maximize the RoI of their IoT applications by capturing, understanding and acting on data collected from IoT devices and sensors in real time.
"The Eclipse Foundation is excited to have InfluxData joining, and agreeing to participate in the IoT Working Group," said Mike Milinkovich, executive director of the Eclipse Foundation. "Many of the IoT projects rely on InfluxDB already, so having InfluxData as a member and direct participant in these efforts will only enhance the overall adoption of Eclipse IoT projects."
For organizations to fully leverage IoT solutions and gain efficiencies promised by IoT data, they need to understand the behavior of their devices and sensors in real time, have the ability to iterate solutions to address any behavior issues of the IoT connected devices, and continue to innovate solutions at lightning speed.Having IoT sensors and getting more data is irrelevant to organizations if this data cannot be used to gain real-time insights, accelerate decision-making, perform automated tasks, and create value by enabling organizations to become data-driven.
"We are seeing rapid growth in our IoT business and are pleased to be a new Eclipse Foundation member and to join their IoT Working Group," said Mark Herring, InfluxData CMO. "We look forward to lending our expertise from thousands of IoT deployments to the IoT Working Group to help drive community adoption and further understand customer requirements. InfluxData is uniquely built from the ground up to handle the capture and analysis of IoT data. With InfluxData, companies always have a direct view into the state of each of their devices and sensors so changes can be made to keep services running efficiently."
Since many Eclipse IoT projects use InfluxDB as their underlying datastore, by joining these efforts and contributing time and engineering resources to them, InfluxData can make those offerings more robust. The company is already contributing significantly to the IoT Working Group's IoT Testbed v2.0, and by joining a larger community of open source and IoT users and developers the company can contribute to the standardization efforts and fundamental frameworks.
InfluxData delivers a Modern IoT Data Platform built from the ground up to support organizations looking to best leverage the wealth of IoT data delivered from their devices and sensors to provide an advantage for their customers. IoT data is unique in that sensors deliver time stamped or time series data to measure change over time, the data is streamed relentlessly from sensors, and sensors capture and emit data in real time.
InfluxData has rapidly built its developer and customer base across industries – including manufacturing, financial services, energy, and telecommunications – by delivering the fastest growing Open Source Platform that enables customers to derive better business insights, data-driven real-time actions, and a consolidated single view of their entire infrastructure – from applications to microservices, and from systems to sensors. More than 350 customers, including Cisco Systems, Coupa Software, IBM, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Nordstrom, and Tesla, have selected InfluxData as their modern data platform for metrics and events. InfluxData is pioneering the shift to time series in a modern metrics and events platform, and is making it possible for customers to become data-driven and take on digital transformation initiatives.
ZigBee Alliance, Thread Group Release Specification to Address IoT Industry Fragmentation
PRESS RELEASE:
The ZigBee Alliance and Thread Group has announced the availability of the Dotdot specification over Thread's IP network. This is the first time developers can confidently use an established, open, and interoperable IoT language over a low-power wireless IP network, which will help unify the fragmented connected device industry and unlock new markets.
"We're at an exciting point in the Smart Home where the broader consumer market is embracing mainstream connected products; 26% of consumers own a smart home device according to our new research," said Tom Kerber, Director of IoT Strategy at Parks Associates. "To be competitive in a market where consumers will rely on these devices for years to come, companies must take a long-term view, aligning with technologies that will enable innovation and interoperability, and continue to deliver on the promise of the IoT for every stakeholder."
Dotdot is the ZigBee Alliance's universal language for the IoT, making it possible for smart objects to work together on any network. Thread is the Thread Group's open, IPv6-based, low-power, secure and future-proof mesh networking technology for IoT products. These two leading organizations have come together to deliver a mature, scalable solution for IoT interoperability that isn't confined to single-vendor ecosystems or technologies.
The early internet faced the same challenges as today's IoT. Currently, connected devices can struggle to deliver a seamless experience because they speak different languages (or in technical terms, use different "application layers"). For the internet, the industry solved this problem with open, universal protocols over IP – a combination that unlocked and accelerated innovation. Dotdot's common device language over Thread's IP network extends this same proven approach to the Internet of Things. With Dotdot over Thread, product and platform vendors can ensure the high-quality, interoperable user experiences needed to drive growth, while IP allows vendors to maintain a direct connection to their device – and their customers.
It's important to note that Dotdot over Thread is not another new standard. Dotdot enables the open, mature, and already widely adopted application layer at the heart of ZigBee to work across Thread's IP network – the same network technology fundamental to the internet. For product managers, new standards represent risk. Dotdot and Thread are backed by global, industry-leading companies and represent two of the most robust, widely deployed, and well-supported connectivity and interoperability technologies, driving billions of products and networks already in homes and offices.
"ZigBee and Dotdot are the product of 15 years of innovation by our members, and the experience that comes from over a decade of building successful products," said Tobin Richardson, ZigBee Alliance president and CEO. "This maturity is why major technology leaders have chosen ZigBee, and Dotdot over Thread now brings that value to new markets. This marks the first of many partnerships to come as we extend our application layer across additional networks to accelerate time to market and unify the IoT for all stakeholders."
"The Thread Group's vision is to extend IP – the powerful foundation of the internet – to low-power IoT devices," said Grant Erickson, president of the Thread Group. "Just like the internet, this vision also requires the industry to put forth open, common protocols so devices from any vendor can work together. Dotdot gives Thread adopters an important option for that open, end-to-end connectivity and interoperability."
The Dotdot specification is available to ZigBee Alliance members. Additional resources, including the Dotdot Commissioning Application, will be available in Summer 2018, along with the opening of the Dotdot Certification program from the ZigBee Alliance. Thread launched its 1.1 specification and opened itscertification program in February 2017. The ZigBee Alliance and Thread Group now share a number of common authorized test service providers, and are working with them to ensure an efficient, seamless certification process for Dotdot over Thread adopters. More information on this program will be announced soon.
AIM, RAIN RFID, NFC Forum Issues Call for Speakers to Discuss RFID, IoT, NFC, AIDC Technologies
Speakers are invited to join AIM, RAIN RFID and the NFC Forum at next year's Connections Summit for a series of speaker-led sessions focused on Near Field Communication, radio frequency identification, and automatic-identification and-data capture (AIDC) technologies. Members and non-members alike are invited to contribute to this one-day summit by sharing case studies and success stories.
The event will be held on Mar. 7, 2018, at the Googleplex in Mountain View, Calif. Speakers are invited to present on one of the following topic areas: automotive, blockchain, connected homes, health care, industrial, the Internet of Things, retail, smart products, technical/standards, transportation and wearables.
Submissions are due by Jan. 15, 2018. All submissions will be reviewed by a panel of experts appointed by AIM, the NFC Forum and RAIN RFID, and preference will be given to end-user presentations. Accepted speakers will be notified the week of Jan. 22. Additional information is available at the Connections Summit website.
