Presented here are recent news announcements in the radio frequency identification and Internet of Things industries.
- Sewio Offers RTLS Subscription Service, Software
- Wiliot, Identiv Unveil Battery-Assisted IoT Tags
- Soracom Expands IoT Partner Program
- Talkin’ Things Receives Funding for RFID Tag Manufacturing
- Senet, Ready Wireless Partner on LoRaWAN Solutions
- Essence Group, Securitas Direct Provide IoT-based Intruder Prevention
- RedLore Adds UWB Tech to Wirepas IoT Network
Sewio Offers RTLS Subscription Service, Software
Sewio, a provider of ultra-wideband (UWB) real-time location system (RTLS) technologies, has announced a new set of subscription services and software known as myRTLS Care. According to the company, the myRTLS Care services are intended to ensure proper installations and smooth operations while minimizing downtime.
Sewio’s myRTLS Care solution ensures proper installations.
The package includes more than 15 features designed to let users monitor system health, the company explains, while real-time notifications, weekly reports and predictive alerts control mission-critical RTLS solutions. If an issue arises, device care and customer experience support are available to subscribers for expedited resolutions.
The services and software offer control and analytics for customer systems, Sewio says, particularly with regard to its Alerts feature. During maintenance work, an anchor accidentally being hit could affect the accuracy of location data. If maintenance personnel are unaware of the mistake and fail to report it, unreliable data could remain unnoticed potentially until weeks after the incident. The Alerts function immediately notifies users that an anchor is sending inaccurate location data so the problem can be fixed.
“The demand on our clients has never been greater, so we are proud to launch a service such as myRTLS Care to minimize their downtime and optimize their operations,” said Milan Simek, Sewio’s CEO, in a prepared statement. “We are ready to support all of our RTLS users and empower them to improve their respective businesses.”
Wiliot, Identiv Unveil Battery-Assisted IoT Tags
Internet of Things (IoT) platform provider Wiliot has announced its Battery-Assisted IoT Pixel tag, developed in partnership with smart tag manufacturer Identiv. This new tag follows the company’s Battery-Free IoT Pixel, a stamp-sized computer that harvests and recycles energy from radio waves (see Evaluation Kit Targets Developers for Power-Harvesting IoT). The Battery-Assisted IoT Pixel uses the same chip as that prior model and broadcasts the same standard Bluetooth beacon, but adds a tiny, printed battery and is smaller than a business card.
Wiliot’s Battery-Assisted IoT Pixel
The tag does not require bridges or other source of radio waves from which to harvest energy. All it needs is a device with a Bluetooth radio to read transmissions, such as a smartphone, a Bluetooth gateway or a Wi-Fi access point. BLE readers can be configured to read Battery-Assisted IoT Pixels, with no additional infrastructure required. The tag can track low-priced products such as clothing, food and medicines, the company explains, as well as medium- and higher-value assets such as temporary promotional signage, returnable transport items, IT assets and retail assets.
“Wiliot was founded on the mission to transform industries by embedding everything with cloud intelligence using our IoT Pixel tagging technology,” said Roee Zeiler, the company’s CFO, in a prepared statement. “We began by tackling this challenge with battery-free technology, which significantly reduced barriers to IoT adoption and will scale the IoT from billions to trillions.” Zeiler added, “We’ve always understood that certain applications are best addressed with battery-assisted technology, which is why this launch is a milestone for Wiliot, Identiv and the industry.”
The flexible tag measures 1.3 millimeters (0.05 inch) and can be attached to products on a production line at speed and in volume using a label applicator. Compared with conventional Bluetooth beacons, it offers lower power consumption, a longer lifetime and a smaller form factor, according to the company. The first Battery-Assisted IoT Pixels will be mass-produced by Identiv. Limited availability of the tags is expected to begin next month, with larger quantities ready for rollout by the end of 2022.
“Identiv always strives to innovate, and our contribution to this new era of Bluetooth-based IoT is an outcome of the scalable manufacturing standards, unique processes and expertise we have mastered in the NFC and RFID ecosystem,” added Amir Khoshniyati, Identiv’s VP and general manager for transponders, in the statement. “Bluetooth is pervasive, and this new product offers the advantages of providing infrastructure-free temperature sensing, tracking and traceability. We are proud to collaborate with Wiliot and scale solutions into many Internet of Things deployments.”
Soracom Expands IoT Partner Program
Soracom, a provider of IoT connectivity solutions, has expanded its Soracom Partner Space program to new members throughout the Americas and Europe. The program now reaches more than 800 members worldwide, including 100-plus certified partners representing hardware, software, solutions and integration services. It is intended to provide IoT companies with access to solutions and services that can be integrated at every level of an IoT stack.
The program enables partners to access live opportunities and technical collaborations. Customers can find partners able to help them bring solutions to market and scale more quickly, Soracom reports, as well as create differentiators and simplify IoT deployments. Supporting four million connections with global IoT coverage in more than 160 countries, the firm offers a portfolio of solutions to help IoT deployments connect to hyperscaler platforms, as well as reduce data and power requirements.
“Collaborating with industry-leading partners to connect millions of devices worldwide, Soracom understands deeply that success in IoT depends on the specialized tools and expertise that only a complete ecosystem can provide,” said Alexis Susset, Soracom’s VP of global product and EU sales, in a prepared statement. “We are thrilled to expand our global partner program to help more customers bring successful solutions to market and scale quickly across Europe and around the world.”
Talkin’ Things Receives Funding for RFID Tag Manufacturing
Talkin’ Things has announced that it has closed an investment round intended to scale up production and further development. TDJ Venture is the leading investor in this round, while co-investors are security provider Prosegur and Piotr Debicki, the owner and president of European packaging company Formika. The Montis Capital fund remains an investor as well and has supported the company’s development since 2019. The total investment in this round is $20 million, the company reports.
“The funds acquired in this investment round will be allocated to the continuation of the RFID Gigafactory construction project,” said Marcin Pilarz, Talkin’ Things’ founder and board president, in a prepared statement. “This facility will allow Talkin’ Things to enter the first league of global RFID tag manufacturers. We also plan to significantly increase employment. We are aware that capital alone is not enough to develop and scale up a business. The cooperation with TDJ brings a unique added value. In addition to financial resources, we can count on access to TDJ network and expertise and get substantial support in production up-scaling.”
“Although RFID technology is not new, the Talkin’ Things team is using it in a very innovative way,” added Tomasz Domogała, TDJ Venture’s owner, in the statement. “This unique specialization, combined with a market that has matured for mass tag applications, makes us believe in the success of this project. There is still work ahead of us to adjust the company’s processes and operating activities to a rapid scale-up. We have an appetite for large contracts with global contractors. I am glad that Piotr Debicki and the Spanish company Prosegur are our co-investors. Their experience should let us build a strong position on international markets. The global network of contacts will streamline the implementation of the expansion strategy into these markets.”
With help from these investors, Talkin’ Things says it has “a big chance for further dynamic development on global markets,” enabling it to pursue new trends with RFID technology. “We are glad that our investment, effort and faith in the company translate into strong financial figures that are reflected in the results and commitment of strategic business partners both from Poland and abroad,” said Tomasz Poniński, a managing partner at Montis Capital, in the prepared statement.
Senet, Ready Wireless Partner on LoRaWAN Solutions
Senet, a provider of cloud-based software and services platforms enabling connectivity and on-demand network build-outs for the Internet of Things, and Ready Wireless, an IoT managed service provider and systems integrator, have announced a partnership to deliver enterprise and municipal solutions combining Ready Wireless’s IoT application-management and data-visualization platform with Senet’s carrier-grade LoRaWAN network. The companies are now engaged in commercial deployments and large-scale pilots to optimize in-building environments and asset management for retail companies, public buildings, campuses and residential complexes.
Ready Wireless provides customizable applications for IoT use cases in the smart-building, smart-city and transportation sectors, including asset tracking, environmental monitoring and fleet management. The company has completed interoperability testing on Senet’s network and will sell, deploy and support solutions with Senet connectivity plans. Senet operates a public carrier-grade network in the United States and supports private, owner-operated network and device connectivity through its platform-as-a-service offering.
“Creating data-driven applications using sensor and network technologies is difficult, and when done without careful planning often results in single-point solutions that don’t scale or deliver the desired long-term results,” said Dennis Henderson, Ready Wireless’s CEO, in a prepared statement. “Partnering with Senet is in total alignment with our approach to delivering end-to-end solutions that solve real problems today, and with the flexibility and foresight to scale to support future needs. Senet’s network planning, flexible deployment models, and public and private network options provide our customers with everything needed to be successful from the start.”
“We’re pleased to be partnering with Ready Wireless to deliver LoRaWAN solutions into some of the fastest-growing segments of the IoT market,” added Bruce Chatterley, Senet’s CEO, in the statement. “Ready Wireless’s commitment to quality at scale is evident in their robust solution offerings and long-standing customer relationships. We look forward to collaborating across a broad range of markets to help customers realize the value of sensor-driven data for both near and long-term operational advancements.”
Essence Group, Securitas Direct Provide IoT-based Intruder Prevention
Essence Group, a technology group that supplies wireless, cloud-based security soutions for homes, families and businesses, has partnered with Securitas Direct to pilot the company’s MyShield intruder-prevention system in the Swiss market. Securitas Direct will test the MyShield solution for mass deployment. The Internet of Things-based device connects to cellular IoT networks, including both CAT-M and NB-IoT, the company reports. Integration with existing security systems will provide added security to residential and commercial users in Switzerland.
The fog-generating MyShield system incorporates a passive infrared motion detector, a high-definition video camera with recording capabilities, two-way voice communication, and a cloud-based services platform with reporting and analytical tools. The fog generator, serving as a first-responder system, fills a room with harmless yet disorienting fog within seconds, forcing intruders out of premises.
“While existing security systems still afford intruders a window of opportunity to cause damage before response teams can arrive, MyShield enables home and business owners to effectively control the situation and safely verify and remove the threat, all from a distance,” explained Haim Amir, Essence Group’s CEO and founder, in a prepared statement. “We are proud to extend our long-standing partnership with Securitas Direct to provide their customers with peace of mind through the latest innovation in intruder prevention and intervention.”
“Essence Group has proved a valued partner throughout our long and fruitful relationship, playing an integral role in establishing our reputation as Switzerland’s primary security solutions provider,” added Christian Chenaux, Securitas Direct’s CEO, in the prepared statement. “We are excited to be the first in Europe to provide our customers with all the benefits that MyShield offers, and look forward to continuing to work together to protect families, homes and business in Switzerland.”
RedLore Adds UWB Tech to Wirepas IoT Network
RedLore has announced that its Locus High-Res technology, which provides ultra-wideband (UWB) positioning technology, has been overlayed on Wirepas‘s wire-free mesh network. RedLore launched its positioning system to locate inventory, tools and individuals on industrial sites, both indoors and outdoors. The patented technology is built on Wirepas’s mesh-network technology, enabling it to operate without the need for users to install expensive data or power wiring throughout a facility.
According to the company, onsite positioning systems have been taking off following numerous pilots, and manufacturers, logistics companies and healthcare facilities have used the technology to decrease operating costs, increase efficiencies and improve customer service. RTLS solutions for the tracking of mobile medical equipment have reduced the need for such devices by 17 percent, the firm reports, since all equipment can be accounted for. In addition, RedLore indicates, manufacturers can reduce stock obsolescence and stock-outs by 90 percent, by knowing where spare parts and raw materials are located, how much is available, and which need to be consumed first.
According to RedLore, other high-accuracy positioning technologies rely on costly networks of devices installed throughout a facility, requiring a power connection, a dedicated data connection or both. With Locus High-Res built on top of Wirepas’s mesh network, the company explains, accuracy is possible down to 15-centimeter (6-inch) positioning accuracy, and the devices can operate on a recyclable battery for 10 years.
Installing wires throughout factories, warehouses and hospitals can be cumbersome and costly, RedLore notes, and sometimes impossible (in secure or hazardous areas, for instance). “For the first time ever, the benefits of positioning technology can be achieved without the cost-prohibitive and problematic installation of wires,” said Niek Van Dierdonck, RedLore’s CEO, in a prepared statement. Teppo Hemiä, Wirepas’s CEO, added, “Locus High-Res aligns perfectly with the Wirepas core qualities of offering the highest reliability levels at the lowest installation effort and cost of any IoT technology.”