IOT News Roundup

National Instruments and Gartner issue new IoT forecasts; Redpine Signals' new WiSeMCU modules; Semtech technology to monitor volcanos; Hewlett Packard Enterprise's new IoT edge devices; Rouse Properties to deploy Mobiquity beacons in malls.
Published: December 11, 2015

National Instruments Releases 2016 Watch Report on IoT Trends

National Instruments has released an annual report that focuses on Internet of Things standards and requirements for industrial systems. The 2016 Trend Watch report discusses how adding measurements to systems will become easier, as well as how network standards are evolving to satisfy next-generation industrial systems requirements. Finally, it examines the designing of smart test systems that can adapt to and test all smart devices, and the “consumerization of software.”

The full report is available as a free download at NI’s website.

Gartner Predicts 1.6 Billion Connected Devices in 2016

Technology research firm Gartner is expecting a rise in smart commercial building systems to help usher in a growth in IoT systems deployment next year by 39 percent over 2015. A new Gartner report indicates that the number of connected devices will grow from 1.18 billion this year to 1.64 billion next year, 2.33 billion in 2017 and 3.33 billion in 2018.

The analyst company bases those predictions on the expected rise in IoT systems deployed in health care, public services, smart buildings and homes, transportation and utilities, as well as in miscellaneous other categories. Smart cities will require IoT solutions, with smart homes expected to represent 21 percent of total IoT use in smart cities in 2016. Thanks to data collected from sensors, smart cities can interact and engage with residents and businesses, thereby creating a collaborative environment, according to Bettina Tratz-Ryan Gartner’s VP of research.

Redpine Signals Releases WiSeMCU Wireless Modules

Redpine Signals has launched its WiSeMCU modules to be used with the company’s WyzBee IoT Platform. According to the company, this will enable businesses to create a wide range of device form factors.

The WiSeMCU is available in a single-band (2.4 GHz) wireless module (the RS10002), as well as a dual-band (2.4 GHz and 5.0 GHz) module (the RS10003) that includes a faster 160 MHz ARM Cortex M4 microcontroller offering higher memory capacity—1 megabyte.

The microcontroller modules comes with multi-protocol wireless and networking stacks (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and ZigBee), advanced security—tamper- and clone-proof mechanisms—deep power modes with less than 100nA power draw for IoT devices with multi-year battery life, and high wireless performance for energy- and bandwidth-efficient data transfer.

Semtech’s LoRa RT Technology Will Monitor Active Volcanoes

Japan’s volcano researchers plan to use data collected from Semtech‘s LoRa-based sensor network to track conditions at 47 active volcanoes next year. With the sensor-based data, the researchers intend to perform forecasting to provide alerts, early warnings or immediate evacuations of threatened areas.

The network consists of LoRa sensors that monitor seismic activity, gas emissions, and changes in topography and vibrations in the air, from debris such as rocks and ash spewing from the crater. The sensors employ Semtech’s SX1272 transceiver to transmit data. The system is scheduled to be deployed in March 2016.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Offers New Edge IoT Devices

Hewlett Packard Enterprise has released a family of new HPE Edgeline IoT Systems gateway devices that, according to the company, will make it more efficient to collect, process and analyze Internet of Things data. The devices were developed in partnership with Intel.

The HPE Edgeline IoT Systems—available in two versions, EL10 and EL20—are designed to sit at the network edge for analyzing data and controlling IoT devices. HPE’s other offerings for technology at the edge include the HPE Moonshot and ProLiant Servers. The EL10 and EL20 are similar to each other, the firm reports, with the EL20 designed for more demanding high-volume deployments and built with long-life-cycle components.

Mobiquity Networks to Deploy Beacon Technology for Rouse Properties Malls

Location-based mobile advertising and app company Mobiquity Networks will provide beacon-based advertising at all 35 malls owned by Rouse Properties. Rouse, one of the largest mall owners in the United States, intends to install the technology to enable retailers and brands to connect with shoppers via their smart devices.

Mobiquity says it will now have its technology deployed at more than 355 U.S. properties, with about 275 million shopping visits.