Jan 23, 2020Presented here are news announcements made during the past week by the following organizations:
SensThys, Convergence Systems Ltd.;
STMicroelectronics, the Zigbee Alliance;
Conectis, Igor;
iDTRONIC;
Connect&GO;
IoTdc, and Kerlink.
SensThys, Convergence Systems Ltd. Partner on Handheld RFID Solutions
SensThys, a technology company that provides solutions integrating sensors into a networking platform, has partnered with Convergence Systems Ltd. (CSL), a supplier of passive RFID products and active RTLS equipment, to combine CSL's CS108 RFID handled sled platform with SensThys's sensor solutions portfolio. SensThys can now provide the hardware components required for RFID platforms, including fixed and handheld readers.
SensThys and CSL have been developing RFID solutions that access passive sensor tags, specifically those that monitor temperature and humidity levels. These solutions will now be available from SensThys. The two companies are currently planning further developments, including the porting of SensThys's proprietary humidity algorithms to CSL's platform.
"The addition of this robust handheld to our portfolio is in direct response to customer feedback looking for complete solutions to their problems," said Jo Major, SensThys's CEO, in a prepared statement. "This complements the existing SensThys fixed reader infrastructure that already offers customers a practical method to quickly and reliably interrogate Smartrac's sensor inlays and tags."
"By detecting moisture and measuring temperatures in a wide variety of building materials, including concrete, gypsum board, insulation, and other construction materials, these solutions enable a broad portfolio of innovative applications for facility and construction monitoring and management," Major added in the statement. "For example, the seamless integration of sensors enables customers to understand where and when a roof has started to leak or when a concrete foundation is fully cured."
"By embedding our high-quality RAIN RFID sensor inlays and tags into building materials at the point of manufacture, customers can make their product lines truly smart," added Bill Barr, Smartrac's VP of global product and partner services, in the prepared statement. "With the collaboration of our two ecosystem partners, customers can now enjoy getting sensors, a comprehensive range of intelligent readers and solution software from a single source. Hence, they can benefit from latest, integrated solutions that are very cost-effective and easy to implement."
Jerry Garrett, CSL's managing director, added in the statement: "The CS108 is fully capable of reading moisture and temperature-sensing RAIN RFID inlays and tags, providing SensThys customers with both fixed and handheld reader solutions for these emerging applications. The CS108 reader is a ruggedized RAIN RFID reader with a read range up to 20 meters" [66 feet].
STMicroelectronics Joins Zigbee Alliance Board of Directors
The Zigbee Alliance, an organization of companies that create, maintain and deliver open global standards for the Internet of Things (IoT), has announced that STMicroelectronics, a semiconductor firm serving customers in the electronics applications sector, has joined its Board of Directors. Along with other Zigbee Alliance promoter member companies, ST will help the organization to foster the adoption and evolution of Zigbee in order to simplify development for manufacturers and increase device compatibility for consumers.
"In both the consumer and industrial markets, demand for reliable IoT connectivity is expanding fast and the trend towards wireless technologies is growing tremendously—whether in smart-home solutions, asset-tracking production tools, or building control," said Hakim Jaafar, STMicroelectronics' head of marketing for wireless microcontrollers, in a prepared statement. "As a leading and trusted Arm Cortex-M supplier to both top OEMs and the mass market committed to propagate Zigbee technology in its 2.4 GHz product roadmap, ST supports the mission of the Zigbee Alliance and joined the board to share our expertise and help continue the Alliance's success."
The inclusion of wireless technologies in ST's microcontroller product portfolio allows for greater flexibility in device architecture and faster transition for the mass market to add connectivity, the companies report. With the evolution of the connectivity and IoT markets, the STM32 MCU and MPU products include integrated security mechanisms to protect IP and privacy. ST's addition to the Board of Directors is intended to add visibility to the technology and accelerate product developments with improved interoperability and cross-technology compatibility.
"STMicroelectronics plays an important role in powering next-generation IoT devices, and their leadership will be a great value-add at the board level and within working groups as we work diligently to create communication and connection standards that can be cast across continents," said Tobin Richardson, the Zigbee Alliance's president and CEO, in the prepared statement. "As we head into 2020, it's extremely encouraging to see the impressive collection of global tech organizations like ST that are committed to cooperation and interested in taking a seat at the Alliance table."
Conectis, Igor Offer IoT Smart-Building Solutions in Europe
U.S.-based Igor and France-based Conectis, a subsidiary of Rexel, have announced a partnership to facilitate access to smart-building technology throughout Western Europe. Conectis's customers can now acquire Nexos, Igor's smart-building platform. Conectis will distribute Nexos as part of its Gigamedia IT networking infrastructure technology.
Throughout France, Germany, Italy, the Nordic countries, Spain and the United Kingdom, the total number of smart systems sold will nearly triple between 2018 and 2022, the companies report, reaching more than 8 million. The stock of smart buildings in France alone is expected to reach 10 million by 2022. Nexos's IoT platform, a Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) smart-building solution, aligns with the larger Conectis product portfolio, the companies explain, and consists of components critical to the infrastructure of intelligent buildings.
The relationship between Igor and Conectis began in 2016, when leaders from both firms met at a European trade show. Anticipating rapid growth of the European smart-building market, Conectis's executives sought an IoT PoE platform to offer to its customer base. "PoE will be the heart of smart-building infrastructure," said Luc Debert, Conectis's business unit manager, in a prepared statement. "Over three years of testing, we've discovered Igor's platform carries with it numerous advantages. Adding the Nexos platform to our offering will help us deliver the kind of advanced IoT technology our customers are demanding."
While PoE-based solutions tend to focus on intelligent lighting, Nexos involves the entire smart-building ecosystem, the company reports, thus enabling building managers to address a variety of problems from a single platform. "The timing is right," Debert said in the prepared statement. "Our expertise, combined with Igor's proven technology, is a winning combination to serve the diverse needs within the smart building markets. Our companies work well together on a technical level, and also on a personal level. That is important to us when it comes to upholding our reputation for excellence in client services."
"We are excited about our partnership with Conectis," added Steve L'Heureux, Igor's CEO, in the prepared statement. "Conectis is an innovative, agile company led by forward-thinking executives and with the strength of a 13-billion-euro corporation behind it. It has a well-earned reputation for excellence and a clear vision to lead in smart building implementations. Conectis has been a great company to work with throughout this whole process, and we know they will do an amazing job delivering bundled turnkey smart building solutions to their customers throughout Western Europe."
iDTRONIC Updates HF RFID Reader With Wi-Fi, Ethernet Interface
iDTRONIC, a provider of embeddable RFID modules, has announced enhancements to its R840 MIFARE HF RFID reader. Specifically, the company has announced the addition of Wi-Fi functionality and an Ethernet interface.
The wireless Wi-Fi capability allows for the connection of end devices without the need for cables in Internet of Things (IoT) environments, the company reports. What's more, the wired Ethernet interface can be employed for direct data transfer to end devices for Industry 4.0 applications.
According to the company, the Ethernet and Wi-Fi options are available strictly as a read-only version. The R840 module reads transponders and tags operating at the 13.56 MHz HF RFID frequency and complying with the ISO 14443A standard. The device can recognize and read clear unique identifiers (UIDs) on tags or transponders.
The OEM module's integrated antenna can accurately identify chip cards from a distance of up to 8 centimeters (3.1 inches), the company reports, while the integrated relays can be remotely controlled. In addition, a lamp function informs users whether or not tag communication has been carried out successfully.
Nerf Challenge Utilizes Connect&GO Smart Wristbands
At the NERF Challenge, a touring leisure attraction focused on competitive play, guests can participate in a variety of activities inspired by the Hasbro franchise. Montreal-based technology company Connect&GO developed smart wristband and technological platforms to help make the NERF Challenge more engaging for visitors.
By integrating directly with the Los Angeles Staples Center's ticketing system, Connect&GO ensured that guests could purchase tickets virtually and digitally sign the required liability waivers at the same time. "Creating an experience like this takes a lot of moving pieces," said Logan Caldwell, the production manager at entertainment company Kilburn Live, in a prepared statement, "and working with a company like Connect&GO allowed us to link the entire guest experience through a wearable. They brought ideas and solutions to deliver a complete RFID ecosystem."
Upon arrival, guests were invited to scan their virtual tickets at Connect&GO's self-serve dispensers in order to retrieve their NERF Challenge wristbands. A single virtual ticket could allow a user to retrieve multiple wristbands purchased within the same order. Each band was linked to an individual's profile, providing personalized benefits for each guest. For example, guests could link their RFID wristbands with those of friends and family members in order to follow them through the challenge and compare the number of points they each accumulated. Leaderboards also displayed the top-scoring participants of the hour, the day and the entire competition.
With multiple solo and group activities available, guests could reload their wristbands with more tokens using an innovative PCI-compliant mobile-payment terminal, as well as software co-developed by Connect&GO and payment company PayFacto. Guests scanned the bracelets to purchase additional activity tokens using a credit or debit card. "We are very proud to have successfully empowered a simple device that can easily be used for upsells, wristband payments, top-ups and point distribution," said Dominic Gagnon, Connect&GO's CEO, in the prepared statement.
"The terminals can also be used to add VIP upgrades to a guest's wristband and to offer special package deals that create secondary revenue streams for the attraction," Gagnon added in the statement. "Operators are particularly interested in the many opportunities of using a connected wristband system." The next stop on the NERF Challenge tour is a Philadelphia venue slated for April 2020.
IoTdc Becomes Kerlink IoT Solutions Distributor in South Africa
Kerlink, a provider of Internet of Things (IoT) solutions, has announced its expansion into South Africa and a distribution agreement with IoTdc, a distributor of connected hardware and device-related applications for the IoT in that country. Kerlink, which creates solutions for designing, launching and operating public and private LoRaWAN IoT networks, offers a product portfolio of industrial-grade network equipment, as well as network-core, operations and management software.
Serving solutions integrators, IT and IoT resellers, and telcos, IoTdc focuses on such vertical markets as agriculture, mining, smart cities, smart homes, retail, medicine, construction and manufacturing, through pre-defined and tested bundles of hardware and software. As part of the global expansion and deployment of IoT technologies, the Middle East and Africa region is expected to show sector spending growth from $8.47 billion in 2019 to nearly $18 billion by 2023, according to technology research and consulting firm International Data Corporation (IDC).
"South Africa is a logical and strategic addition to Kerlink's growing international footprint, which includes more than 120,000 IoT installations in 69 countries," said Romain Weryk, Kerlink's key account manager, in a prepared statement. "With IoTdc's focus on providing technology integrators and resellers with a single-window distribution platform to access quality-verified connected devices specifically designed for vertical markets, and to support services quickly, reliably and seamlessly, IoTdc will be a strong partner for Kerlink in the region."
"IoTdc thoroughly tests all of our suppliers' products before presenting them to our channel partners," added Theo Barnard, IoTdc's product head, in the prepared statement. "Kerlink's portfolio of hardware and software solutions clearly lived up to its global reputation for reliability, flexibility, and durability. As both a pioneer in the introduction of M2M and IoT connectivity and a recognized leading provider of world-class equipment and software solutions, Kerlink's formal entry into the South Africa market is good news for companies that are eager to design and deploy IoT networks customized to meet their specific needs."
