Mar 30, 2023RFID Journal LIVE! 2023 will feature end-user companies discussing RFID's use in various industries, as well as exhibitors offering tagging solutions for multiple applications. To learn more, visit the event's website.
Presented here are recent news announcements in the radio frequency identification and Internet of Things industries.
UnaBiz, LORIOT Partner on Multi-Protocol IoT Solutions
UnaBiz, an Internet of Things (IoT) service provider and integrator, and LORIOT, an IoT company providing long-range connectivity and network management, have partnered to enable clients to deploy massive IoT solutions and provide them with a choice between multiple protocols that are suited for their specific use cases. Through the partnership, UnaBiz's customers will have access to LORIOT's LoRaWAN Roaming Hub, allowing them to extend network coverage and density, and enabling access to LORIOT's global LoRaWAN public infrastructure, along with third parties' networks.
UnaBiz, the owner of Sigfox 0G technology, offers sensor product design, manufacturing and data platform services across a hybrid of low-power wide-area networks (LPWAN). LORIOT, a provider of LoRaWAN and mioty solutions, develops, manages and operates its LPWAN Network Management System as both public and private, on-cloud and on-premise, to network operators, public administrations and large corporations.
Together, the companies plan to offer integrated IoT solutions with multiple LPWAN protocols capabilities, including Sigfox 0G technology, LoRaWAN and mioty. The technical convergence, the partners explain, will enable the integration of LORIOT's hybrid Hummingbird Network Management System with UnaBiz's UnaConnect middleware IoT data-management platform.
The multi-protocol approach, according to UnaBiz and LORIOT, will provide customers with greater connectivity options and flexibility with regard to increasing device density. This will allow them to leverage the IoT in various verticals and use cases, simplify device integration, secure the delivery of aggregated data to multiple end platforms, and make their IoT solutions more efficient and scalable, the companies report.
"On top of the technical collaboration, UnaBiz will support LORIOT in the manufacturing of industrial IoT solutions powered by LoRaWAN, as well as other protocols used by LORIOT's clients around the world," said Henri Bong, UnaBiz's CEO and co-founder, in a prepared statement. "This strategic partnership demonstrates the positive outcome for customers and the market when LPWAN service providers unite."
Julian Studer, LORIOT's CEO, added in the statement: "Our strategic collaboration with UnaBiz is built on a hybrid approach, strong customer-focused culture and convergent vision. Together, we will be able to offer our customers a higher degree of flexibility and simplicity, helping them generate true value in their industries on a large scale."
Tapwow Teams with Identiv on Smart Packaging, IoT Tech
Tapwow, a provider of cloud-based IoT software solutions, has announced a strategic partnership with Identiv, a supplier of IoT-based digital security and identification solutions, to offer smart packaging systems for customer engagement, authentication, product diversion and traceability. Tapwow will become the technical solutions provider for Identiv and will work with customers to deliver prebuilt, semi-custom and custom experiences for consumer engagement, authentication, traceability, and reuse and recycle.
According to the companies, Tapwow's DIRX2 smart packaging and connected products platform will enable Identiv to accelerate its tag management, content delivery and analytics solutions. With support for NFC, QR codes and sensors on the same platform, brands will have the choice of which technology is best for their applications. DIRX2 allows customers to batch and re-batch tags by product, region, SKU or other criteria, and to change content after tags or markers are in market.
"We have worked with Identiv for years," said Michael Sher, Tapwow's CEO, in a prepared statement, "and have always been impressed with their best-in-class NFC and RFID products, along with their ability to provide the innovative design and technical skillset to satisfy any customer. Combining our software capabilities with their quality transponders will give our customers an industry-leading solution for smart packaging and IoT."
Amir Khoshniyati, Identiv's VP and GM of IoT business, added in the statement: "Demand for IoT solutions is expected to scale exponentially in the coming years. This connected platform includes serialized IDs for every product and has a digital customer audit trail. The brand-engagement and -protection capabilities deliver trust and authenticity via transparency in supply chains and enable better decision-making through item-level data sourced from Identiv and the market's embedded IoT products across all prominent industries."
L-com Expands IoT Air Quality and Water Leak Sensor Line
L-com, an Infinite Electronics brand and a supplier of wired and wireless connectivity products, has announced the expansion of its line of IoT air-quality and water-leak environmental sensors. Each air-quality sensor monitors one or more of the following: alcohol, ammonia, dust and particulates, formaldehyde, humidity, hydrogen, hydrogen sulfide, LPG, ozone, refrigerant, smoke, sulfur dioxide, temperature and TVOCs.
The sensors assist in the use of IoT data collection to make process control more efficient, L-com explains, and to lower building and process costs. Applications for the air-quality sensors include commercial facilities, HVAC systems, factory floors, laboratories, smart buildings, food processing and preservation facilities, and public restrooms. The water-leak sensors are intended for any environment in which damage from water leaks or flooding is a concern, such as communications rooms, equipment cabinets, server rooms, warehouses and storage areas.
The wall-mounted devices are waterproof and feature a long service life and a Modbus output. L-com's IoT air-quality environmental sensors feature industry-standard sensing elements and low power consumption. They have a four-pin, 2.54-millimeter pitch header for device integration. They can be mounted to a wall or a DIN rail. The dust, gas and combination sensors feature quick response and short preheat times, according to the company, as well as output types such as Modbus, TTL and 4-20 mA, in addition to screw-type terminal blocks for field connection. Up to seven pollutants can be monitored from one device.
"Our new air0quality sensors have high sensitivities to detect specific molecular concentrations or light levels," said Tim Houghton, L-com's senior product line manager, in a prepared statement. "They transmit a signal to an I/O module or PLC that then reports the information to a PC or SCADA system. This allows system integrators, engineers and others to use IoT data collection to improve safety, make processes more efficient and lower building costs." L-com's new IoT sensors are in stock now and are available for immediate shipment.
CAEN RFID Portable Reader Supports ASYGN Sensor Chips
ASYGN's AS321X chips for RFID tags and labels include a temperature sensor for wireless, batteryless sensing solutions in applications like food quality control, logistics, predictive maintenance, building (structure health monitoring) and more. The chip-embedding sensor is assembled using standard equipment on a Tageos EOS-840 label.
CAEN RFID has released a short video showing how to get temperature data in real time using its skID mobile reader and EasyController demo application, which CAEN has updated to export that feature. The company's portable RFID reader supports ASYGN's sensor chips.
Industrial ID Companies Form Technologies Alliance
Possehl Identification Solutions (PID) is an alliance of Possehl companies in the field of print and apply, labelling, coding, software and label production. The group currently comprises ten internationally active and independent companies in industrial identification technology, and it brings together their expertise and experience to create added value for customers and users, the organization reports.
Through the acquisition of new companies, the identification solutions division at Possehl has grown in recent years. The ten companies are Logopak, LSS, NOVEXX Solutions, Eidos, Etipack, Datakamp, Labelcraft, Nordvalls Label Group, Kölle Etiketten and Watermill. These independent brands are joining forces and bringing together the expertise and experience of all parties involved. PID says it positions itself as a group of companies providing solutions for the marking and identification of products.
"Based on profound expertise and experience, we can offer customers a unique depth and breadth of high-quality solutions for industrial marking," said Dietrich Barsch, the CEO PID's Business Unit, in a prepared statement. Through the joint PID brand umbrella, the independent companies can now provide hardware, software and labels for identification solutions. PID will announce a product launch of newly developed software for data management and machine monitoring for identification processes.
The PID companies will bundle their experience and expertise, working together on customer projects, with a broad product portfolio resulting from the interaction of all brands represented. "PID forms a total which is stronger than the sum of its individual companies," Barsch added in the statement. "This benefits both the customers and the companies, because it allows the solution potential to be maximized."
Unified Office Adds Alexa-Based AI Notifications to IoT Portfolio
Unified Office, a managed services provider offering reliable, cloud-based business-communications services, IoT services and business analytics, has announced its Amazon Alexa-powered, artificial intelligence (AI)-based Performance Notifications Suite. This offering integrates Alexa-powered communications into Unified Office's AI-based notifications platform. According to the company, the solution integrates Alexa's voice-assistant capabilities, linked to its business communications, AI and IoT capabilities.
"The convenience of receiving Alexa notifications beyond receiving packages and smart home integrations has now been integrated into our 'Total Connect Now' premium AI-based notifications product platform," said Ray Pasquale, Unified Office's founder and CEO, in a prepared statement. "This offering now provides for the timely delivery of mission-critical notifications via Alexa-based products, creating increased visibility and convenience for our customers, allowing them to react quicker to serious issues that might impact their business."
Unified Office hotel customers, for example, can request notifications of how many people check in or out, order room service, check out early and so on. and Alexa will build reports and display that information on any Alexa-powered device. For restaurant customers, it can report trends, using Unified Office's analytics and historical data to predict when refrigeration equipment might fail or require maintenance, or alert them if a walk-in cooler door has been left open after a business has closed.
Unified Office uses linear regression techniques, predictive analytics and AI, coupled with software integrations with Alexa's voice-assistant technology and other business programs. Managers can track almost anything in their operational infrastructure, the company explains, including interactions with employees and customers, via voice commands, with no computer interaction required.
The system features integration with vertical and horizontal customer-management software and ERP systems, as well as a centralized operations portal to remotely view, configure and manage communications services, including dialing schemes, messaging and workflows. It allows the ability to customize communications workflows that reflect operational needs; enables uniformity of services, with workers able to bring their offices home with them or wherever they move throughout a facility; and provides a hybrid, on-premise and cloud-based VoIP solution.
The system enables real-time analytics for customer service training, coaching and other types of operational performance assessments. "Voice is as important and relevant as ever," Pasquale added in the statement. "This technology is yet another example of the power that voice assisted technology can bring to business. We designed this in response to the ever-increasing demands on small business owners and operators. We were already providing these services via our IoT and text messaging offerings and are now extending it Alexa powered devices."
