The following are news announcements made during the past week:
PRESS RELEASE:
Silicon Labs Bluetooth Mesh Solution Helps IoT Developers Cut Time to Market
To help developers simplify the design of mesh-networked devices for the Internet of Things (IoT) and get to market faster, Silicon Labs (NASDAQ: SLAB) introduced a comprehensive suite of software and hardware that supports the new Bluetooth mesh specification. The new Bluetooth mesh solution benefits from the company’s proven mesh networking expertise and includes development tools, a software stack, and mobile apps supporting Silicon Labs’ wireless system-on-chip (SoC) devices and certified modules. The combination of Silicon Labs’ patented network analysis tools and Bluetooth mesh stack for smartphones enables IoT developers to cut time to market by up to six months when compared to existing wireless development tools and techniques.
Bluetooth mesh devices are ideal for smart home, lighting, beaconing and asset tracking applications. A mesh network enables devices, such as connected lights, to be deployed at greater distances from a hub or gateway. As each light is deployed, the communication range increases, allowing a single gateway to cover an area larger than one that is simply covered by a star network topology. In retail marketing and asset tracking applications, Bluetooth mesh technology simplifies the deployment and management of beacons. By combining Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) with mesh networking, new capabilities and value can be introduced into devices such as connected lights which can also serve as beacons or beacon scanners.
“Bluetooth is the next frontier in mesh networking, and Silicon Labs’ new Bluetooth mesh software and tools keep us at the forefront of this rapidly emerging ‘many-to-many’ network topology,” said Richard Baxter, President and CEO of Mesh Systems, an IoT software, services and solution provider. “From easy-to-use development kits to mobile applications that help us connect devices seamlessly, we rely on Silicon Labs’ deep expertise in mesh technology to give us the hardware and software resources we need to increase productivity and speed development time so our customers can better compete in today’s IoT race.”
Silicon Labs’ new Bluetooth mesh solution includes a comprehensive suite of development tools and wireless devices to take IoT designs from concept to reality quickly and easily. Using Silicon Labs’ solution, designers can:
• Accelerate time to market: Choose from a variety of Silicon Labs’ certified wireless modules and SoCs, including the world’s smallest Bluetooth system-in-package (SiP) module (BGM11S) and the latest EFR32BG13 Blue Gecko SoCs. Modules with integrated antennas provide a fast, cost-effective means to design Bluetooth mesh-enabled products. Blue Gecko SoCs offer large memory options to support over-the-air (OTA) updates, as well as advanced features such as hardware security acceleration, capacitive sensing, low-power sensor interfaces and enhanced RF performance.
• Simplify development: Silicon Labs’ mobile application for smartphones allows designers to verify the operation of Bluetooth mesh-based implementations with a commercially supported Bluetooth mesh library and source code to streamline design.
• Be more productive: Optimize mesh networking device designs with Silicon Labs’ Simplicity Studio software tools including patented network analysis and packet trace technology, energy profiling and visual application configuration. Software compatibility across Silicon Labs’ portfolio of wireless SoCs and modules enables broad software reuse and reduced development time and cost.
Silicon Labs is the leading supplier of silicon and software for mesh networking applications. The company has shipped more than 100 million mesh networking SoCs and modules to date and has more than 15 years of experience in developing standards-based mesh networking solutions for customers worldwide. Silicon Labs is a leader in Bluetooth innovation, delivering ultra-small Bluetooth SiP modules, multiprotocol SoCs that support Bluetooth commissioning, and software tools and stacks to simplify Bluetooth development.
“We expect to see a wave of new devices hit the market quickly by leveraging ubiquitous Bluetooth connectivity to create hub-less mesh networks that extend the range and reliability of Bluetooth systems,” said Daniel Cooley, Senior Vice President and General Manager of IoT products at Silicon Labs. “No matter which mesh technology developers choose to power their next IoT designs, we offer a complete portfolio of silicon, software and solutions that gives device makers everything they need to accelerate time to market while designing secure, robust mesh networks.”
Silicon Labs’ Bluetooth mesh software development tools and software stack are available now free of charge to customers with registered Bluetooth mesh development kits from Silicon Labs. Wireless Gecko SoCs, Bluetooth modules and wireless starter kits for Bluetooth mesh applications are available now from Silicon Labs and authorized distributors. For more information about Silicon Labs’ Bluetooth mesh development tools, software stack, SoCs, modules and starter kits, visit www.silabs.com/bluetooth-mesh.
PRESS RELEASE:
Toshiba BLE Products Now Support New Bluetooth Mesh Standard
Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc. (TAEC), a committed technology leader, has announced that its lineup of Bluetooth Low Energy products now offer support for the Bluetooth Mesh standard. Ratified and launched by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG), the combination of Bluetooth Mesh and TAEC’s application software enable Toshiba Bluetooth Low Energy products to simultaneously increase communication range, reliability and obstacle penetration capability while also increasing battery life.
By combining a non-proprietary mesh solution with Toshiba Bluetooth communication system solutions capable of link budgets exceeding 100 decibels (dB) with external PA and LNA, Toshiba enables the world’s leading communication technology to provide more reliable communication in consumer products and extend new support to rapidly growing segments such as factory automation and building management.
Support for the new Bluetooth Mesh standard enables Toshiba Bluetooth Low Energy products to privately and securely traverse a mesh network rather than requiring a point-to-point connection between devices. This increases the range and reliability of Bluetooth Low Energy communication without increasing power requirements. Previously, increasing the effective Bluetooth Low Energy communication range or sending a signal through many walls required higher power transmissions that would have a negative impact on battery life.
These high-powered transmissions were typically the primary technique used to address issues such as radio interference in a factory environment or the transmission of signals through thick concrete walls. This approach had severe limitations, and has proven to be ineffective for power-constrained battery operated devices as well as in unfriendly RF environments. By creating a robust mesh network, Toshiba’s Bluetooth Low Energy products can now securely and privately relay messages, allowing devices to communicate in places where they previously were unable to.
“As a Bluetooth SIG founder and current board member, Toshiba is excited to be among the first to support the organization’s push to increase the effective range and robustness of Bluetooth through the introduction of a highly reliable mesh network,” said Deepak Prakash, senior director at Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc. “This standards-based approach means that new untapped markets, such as industrial and commercial, can now leverage ever-present Bluetooth cell phones or tablets to easily control and monitor their systems.”
In a related effort to increase communication range and signal strength for Bluetooth, Toshiba has introduced new Bluetooth Low Energy system solutions capable of achieving a link budget of over 100dB using an external PA and LNA. Toshiba has demonstrated these system solutions providing well over 300m open-air range at low-power transmit and receive power levels. When combined with support for Bluetooth Mesh, Toshiba’s Bluetooth products offer a comprehensive solution for extended-range Bluetooth 4.2.
PRESS RELEASE:
Comcast Expands machineQ Enterprise IoT Service to 12 Major U.S. Markets
Comcast has announced plans to expand its enterprise Internet of Things (IoT) service, machineQ, to 12 major U.S. markets. MachineQ is an IoT network service and platform that uses Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN technology based on the globally-adopted LoRaWAN protocol to build and deploy solutions for businesses and municipal organizations. The service is rolling out in Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Denver, Detroit, Indianapolis, Miami, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Oakland, Pittsburgh, Seattle, and Washington D.C.
“We believe that Comcast has a unique opportunity to leverage our existing network assets and Semtech’s LoRa technology, to fuel IoT innovation with disruptive new business models and smarter cities,” said Alex Khorram, general manager of machineQ. “We’ve seen excitement about a Comcast solution that is opening a whole new world of use cases that were previously not commercially viable due to the cost of connectivity and end devices, limited battery life, and inability to get coverage.”
As a part of the machineQ service, Comcast is working with its commercial partners to enable businesses and cities to gather, transmit, and analyze data about the operation of connected devices distributed throughout their locations. Using the service, organizations are empowered to use data collected from their IoT devices, learn from it, and make better-informed, data-based decisions to improve how they serve customers, tenants, and citizens.
Comcast first announced the service in October 2016 as trials in Philadelphia and the San Francisco Bay Area, and expanded to Chicago in November. Interest in machineQ has come from organizations spanning a wide range of industries, including healthcare (patient monitoring, laboratory sciences tracking), public utilities (remote utility metering), automotive (asset tracking, telemetry), and smart cities (outdoor lighting, waste management, utility grid monitoring).
PRESS RELEASE:
Dell Deploys Internet of Things Technology at Several Manufacturing Facilities
Dell Inc., provider of the industry’s broadest Internet of Things (IoT) infrastructure portfolio from edge to core to cloud, is helping new customers across the globe, as well as its own manufacturing facilities, to future proof their businesses through embracing IoT technology. New customers span a broad range of industries, from building and industrial automation to video surveillance and security, and include global automation technology provider Emerson; energy management software provider Talisen Technologies; video surveillance experts Innodep; and ICT research and innovation organization TSSG. Additionally, Dell is deploying its Edge Gateways across several manufacturing facilities after seeing productivity improvements during recent proof of concepts in Brazil.
According to a new report published by Dell Technologies and the Institute for the Future (IFTF), emerging technologies such as IoT, along with massive advancements in software, big data and processing power, will reshape society. In 2030 every organization will be a technology organization and, as a result, businesses need to start thinking now about how to prepare their infrastructure for digital transformation.
“We’re committed to helping customers build the right IoT solutions to address their unique business needs,” said Joyce Mullen, senior vice president, Global IoT and OEM Solutions, Dell EMC. “Not only do we offer the industry’s broadest IoT portfolio, but we help customers build upon their existing equipment to help simplify the deployment process and reach their return-on-investment faster.”
Since building a dedicated IoT division in 2015, Dell has helped organizations develop solutions that unlock the data needed to enable faster, useful analysis, greater collaboration and improved productivity. Some of the organizations that have recently chosen Dell to help build their unique, end-to-end IoT solutions, include:
• Emerson, a global automation technology provider, offers the go-to solution for chemical, oil and gas, and power companies looking to control flow and pressure in process operations via control valves. However, today’s customer need the ability to utilize control valve data through predictive maintenance and Industrial IoT (IIoT). To address these needs, Emerson worked with Dell to develop a new wireless valve monitoring solution built on Dell Edge Gateways. Additionally, Emerson is developing a control valve condition monitoring service, also based on Dell Edge Gateways.
• Innodep, a South Korea-based provider of security and surveillance software, wanted to extend the success of its Vurix IP-Matrix video security management appliance by capitalzing on the power of IoT. Already built on Dell EMC PowerEdge R730 servers, Innodep worked with Dell EMC OEM and Dell IoT to enable Vurix IP-Matrix’s existing Dell EMC hardware stack by integrating the Dell Edge Gateway 5000 Series. Innodep cut development time by 40% and can now offer customers enhanced building security, greater interoperability, increased performance and simplified support model.
• Talisen Technologies, a Missouri-based software provider, chose Dell EMC OEM Solutions to help develop their IoT solution. Talisen needed a flexible, reliable network edge device to support its Sustainability Platform (ESP), a cloud-based building energy management platform hosted inside a datacenter infrastructure. As a result, the company deployed the Dell Embedded Box PC 3000 and worked with Dell EMC OEM to help bring its ESP gateway to market on a global scale. Now Talisen can offer its customers a compact, reliable gateway solution that better supports accurate and robust Big Data analytics capabilities delivered from a scalable and intelligent converged infrastructure.
• TSSG, an Ireland-based, internationally recognized center of excellence for information and communication technologies research (ICT) and innovation, was looking to develop a world-class IoT testing environment to expedite IoT research access to key verticals in the Irish economy. Building on an existing close and positive relationship with the center, Dell EMC offered best-in-class infrastructure solutions and IoT expertise to deliver an on-campus, multi-protocol, multi-domain IoT testing environment for academic and industry based researchers. With the test environment, TSSG will be able to produce higher quality IoT-driven research to support vertical projects that are pivotal to the Irish economy, such as proof-of-concept designs for agricultural applications. The chosen IoT testing environment consists of Dell EMC PowerEdge R730xd, R730and R630 with Dell Edge Gateways.
Additionally, Dell has replicated similar success within its own factories. Recently, Dell’s factory in Brazil streamlined quality-control in the production line with IoT. The mass customization offered by Dell’s build-to-order model posed a fundamental challenge for quality control – variability. To overcome this issue, the factory developed “Smart EQM,” or End-of-the-line Quality Metric, an IoT-enabled solution based on the Dell Edge Gateway 5100 that uses the power of real-time analytic capabilities.
PRESS RELEASE:
Industrial Internet Consortium Publishes Smart Cities Edition of Journal of Innovation
The Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC), the world’s leading organization transforming business and society by accelerating the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) has published the fourth edition of the Journal of Innovation with a focus on Smart Cities.
The Journal of Innovation highlights the innovative ideas, approaches, products, and services emerging within the Industrial Internet. The IIoT is one of the main technology drivers behind smart cities. While IIoT applications bring many benefits to smart cities, the integration of different technologies, processes, business, social, and regulation realms presents complicated security, privacy and interoperability challenges.
“We chose Smart Cities as the theme of this edition of the Journal of Innovation because many municipalities around the world are looking at ways to improve their infrastructure and services and our member organizations are on the leading edge of innovating in the Industrial Internet of Things,” said Edy Liongosari, co-chair of the IIC Thought Leadership Task Group and Chief Research Scientist at Accenture.
The Smart Cities edition of the Journal of Innovation includes the following articles contributed by leaders at IIC member companies:
• “Intelligent Transport Solutions for Smart Cities and Regions: Lessons Learned from an 18-month Trial,” by Rafael Cepeda of InterDigital Europe and Ken Figueredo of InterDigital Solutions
• “How IoT Can Significantly Improve Healthcare in the Context of Smart City,” by Nitin Gupta of TATA Consultancy Services
• “Spotlight on the Business Strategy & Solution Lifecycle Working Group”
• “Neuromarketing—The Art and Science of Marketing and Neurosciences Enabled by IoT Technologies,” by Christopher Arthmann of NEC Innovation Division and I-Ping Li of Deloitte Consulting
• “Outcomes, Insights and Best Practices from IIC Testbeds: Track and Trace Testbed,” by Michael Dietz of SAP SE, Andreas Mueller of Bosch, Dirk Slama of Bosch Software Innovations, and Joseph Fontaine of Industrial Internet Consortium
• “What’s New at the Industrial Internet Consortium”
PRESS RELEASE:
Postmobile Implements IoT Solutions for Self-Care Applications
ASPIDER-NGI, a leading provider of MVNE, IoT, eSIM and content solutions, has announced the supply of advanced self-care functions for Postmobile: the low cost, easy to use prepaid mobile phone services available through An Post, Ireland’s largest retail network.
The new self-care application provides features making Postmobile even easier to use. Postmobile customers can now do top-ups without registering, change price plans, or get access to detailed call history, right from the app. These functions are all designed to give simple-to-use, reliable service and great value from a brand people know they can trust.
Michael Ahern, Postmobile Manager commented “Our Self-care was overdue a makeover to enhance our customer experience. Early discussions with Sally [Rutter] and Rene [Elstrodt] in ASPIDER-NGI quickly reassured us that our expectations would be met and exceeded. As well as a complete new look, our requirements included additional functionality such as changing plans and purchasing Add-Ons, which were all catered for without issue along with practical feedback and suggestions. ASPIDER-NGI requirements in relation to self-care artwork specifications and templates were very clearly defined ensuring efficient delivery and minimizing any delays.”
“Postmobile has a great focus on simplicity and transparency,” said Sally Rutter at ASPIDER-NGI. “They are continually pushing to improve the customer experience thru innovation in technologies and innovation in thinking.” “From initiation to launch took under 3 months,” continued Michael Ahern. “From a customer viewpoint it was a low stress, issue free project delivered with the utmost attention and professionalism. We are extremely pleased with the final product and look forward to telling, and showing, our customers about it!”
PRESS RELEASE:
Open Connectivity Foundation Selects SURE Universal for IoT Interoperability Verification
SURE Universal Ltd., creator of the next-generation software solutions for smart home, digital media, and IoT, is the first client software certified by Open Connectivity Foundation (OCF). In addition, OCF has signed a new licensing agreement with SURE Universal to use SURE software for interoperability testing of hardware and software products seeking OCF certification.
OCF is an open-source standard for IoT products to work seamlessly together, regardless of the brand. A number of major appliance manufacturers will be announcing OCF support in their products later this year, with about one hundred more officially announcing support in 2018.
SURE Universal is at the forefront of this exciting new collaboration among the top hardware and appliance manufacturers in the world by providing a complete software solution – universal remote control, cloud server for data and communications, IoT gateway software, and smart appliance software.
Kimberly Lewis, OCF Marketing Work Group Chair said, “SURE Universal is the first software solution that has gained OCF certification. It is also the perfect tool for us to use for testing manufacturer claims that their products are OCF compliant. We value a company like SURE Universal, who is dedicated to making life easier for consumers by allowing them to have products from different manufacturers all just work together, seamlessly and without effort.”
SURE Universal is the ultimate solution to make sure all appliances from different brands talk to each other. Imagine traveling for work. You arrive at the hotel and check in via an app on your smartphone. You can then unlock your door, walk into the room and control the entire room environment from your smartphone – turn on lights, close the shades, turn the TV on to your favorite news channel, set your alarm to wake you up in the morning. With all the devices in the room from different manufacturers, everything can be controlled from one central location on your smartphone because of SURE Universal software with OCF support.
The latest version of SURE Universal Remote app for Android announced at MWC Shanghai, features Amazon Alexa voice assistant integration. Future versions of SURE Universal Remote will also include support for Google Voice and Apple Siri, making SURE Universal Remote the only smartphone application needed to control any connected device with voice commands.
The SURE Universal app in combination with OCF standard supports any wireless protocol in common use, ranging from specialized smart home RF technologies, like Z-Wave and Zigbee, to more common networking technologies like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. With infrared blaster, SURE Universal can control more than a million different infrared appliances.
Currently, SURE Universal is working with some of the biggest appliance manufacturers in the world to assist them with implementation of the OCF protocol and to achieve interoperability with other IoT vendors. SURE business partners benefit from fast time-to-market because of the proven SURE Universal technology. All appliance vendors are welcome to contact SURE Universal for partnerships on OCF protocol implementation and certification.