Sep 26, 2017Security, robustness and ease of use are key considerations in the development of Internet of Things (IoT) applications geared toward Brazilian needs in several areas, such as smart cities and agribusiness, among others. These are some of the goals of the dojot open-source platform, which CPqD launched on Sept. 12, 2017, in São Paulo.
The name chosen for the platform refers to a practice known in the information technology (IT) world: "dojô" is a meeting at which programmers train in techniques and methodologies of software development, through the solution of challenges. The word originates with martial arts training. The practice is associated with the IoT concept, the implementation of which poses challenges and requires a series of technologies that allow for the collection, transmission, processing, cross-referencing and analysis of information.
"Dojot is an enabling platform capable of accelerating the development of IoT applications appropriate to the Brazilian reality, in several areas and with local support," says Sebastião Sahão Jr., CPqD's president. To encourage its adoption by companies, startups and other institutions interested in developing these applications, the platform was built based upon open-source tools and has open-source code.
According to Maurício Casotti, from CPqD's marketing team, 3 million Brazilian real ($959,000) will be invested, during a span of three years, in resources from Brazil's Fund for the Technological Development of Telecommunications (FUNTTEL), with the country's Ministry of Science, Technology, Innovation and Communications (MCTIC). The development is part of a larger project, funded by FUNTTEL and the Funding Authority for Studies and Projects (FINEP), which is being conducted by CPqD in partnership with other Brazilian science and technology institutions.
Those interested in developing IoT applications using the platform can already obtain code via the dojot online portal. The site also provides documentation regarding how to use the components and interface, and provides explanatory video tutorials.
"The intention is to stimulate open innovation and facilitate the construction of an ecosystem aimed at offering Internet of Things solutions in the country," says Alberto Paradisi, CPqD's VP of research and development. By adopting the dojot platform, he explains, the developer community can contribute to its evolution and constant improvement—which is one of the premises of the open platform.
Dojot—the first open-source platform developed in Brazil with an IoT focus, and with local support—is now available for use. Several companies are already adopting this platform, which offers features for easier and faster development of customized solutions for various environments.
One example is Taggen, a company specializing in Internet projects and solutions that, in partnership with CPqD, developed the first Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacon with 100 percent Brazilian technology. "The main benefit of the dojot platform is the acceleration of the application-development process, which will certainly help in the implementation of the IoT concept in the country," says Werter Padilha, Taggen's CEO. "At the same time, being an open platform, it should become the basis for the creation of an ecosystem of developers, companies and institutions in the Internet of Things."
Another partner interested in the new platform is Curitiba's Exati Tecnologia, with which CPqD has developed a project for intelligent cities based on a telemanagement device for public lighting systems, which can also be used to provide other services. "The integration of the dojot platform into our solution should facilitate the development of new IoT applications for smart cities using the same hardware," says Dennis Weis Naressi, Exati's CEO.
Meanwhile, Informatics of Associated Municipalities (IMA), in partnership with the Paulista Association of Municipalities, has signed an agreement with CPqD to adopt the dojot platform as a basis for an implementation of the smart-city concept in the municipalities of São Paulo.
"The Internet of Things should help municipalities meet the increased demand for public services," says Leandro Teles, IMA's director of technology, "with quality and without the need for financial investments. However, the IoT presents several challenges, mainly due to the highly pulverized market and the technological complexity of the solutions. The importance of the dojot platform lies in the creation of an abstraction layer, which causes different IoT devices to connect and provide information relevant to managers, in a much simpler way and without the need for technical knowledge. "
According to Maximiliano Martinhão, the Secretary of MCTIC's Information Technology Policy, the development of this open-source platform—which was supported by resources from FUNTTEL and FINEP—will play a fundamental role in the implementation of the National IoT Plan to be adopted in Brazil. "This platform will leverage the creation of Internet of Things applications with characteristics appropriate to Brazil, especially in the areas prioritized in the National IoT Plan," he states. "With this, we will be stimulating the formation of an ecosystem for the development of the IoT throughout the country."
