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Tag: IoT

Wiliot Appoints VP of Climate & Circularity

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Wiliot, the Internet of Things pioneer whose ambient IoT platform is enabling trillions of “things” to gain intelligence, has appointed Antony Yousefian to the position of VP of Climate & Circularity. In his role, Yousefian will oversee the company’s climate strategy, where he will accelerate the development and implementation of climate products that, for the first time, enable businesses to track in real-time their supply chain’s impact on nature and carbon footprint.

Prior to Wiliot, Yousefian held various executive positions at climate technology startups and impact investment funds, where he developed products and invested in companies that work to restore the planet for future generations, through carbon removal in supply chains and biodiversity restoration.

“The ambient IoT is a breakthrough technology paradigm that brings intelligence to every single thing in our supply chains – which unlocks new efficiencies, profits, and revenue streams for the global businesses,” stated Wiliot CEO Tal Tamir. “However, equally important as these financial benefits are the ambient IoT’s impact on the climate. The ambient IoT aligns profits and planet in ways rarely seen – and Antony’s appointment will accelerate a transformational shift in real-time carbon footprint tracking that will make a material impact on both corporate profitability and environmental sustainability.”

The Wiliot IoT Platform connects the digital and physical worlds using its cloud platform and IoT Pixels, which are stamp-sized compute devices that cost pennies and feature a fundamental breakthrough in ambient computing technology – or computing that’s self-powered, harvesting radio waves that are all around us.

The platform not only offers real-time data on a product’s status and journey through the supply chain but also leverages AI capabilities in the cloud to transform sensor data into actionable insights. This enables companies to take actions that reduce their carbon emissions and costs.

“Wiliot’s technology will play a significant role in addressing the unsustainable human demand on Earth’s natural resources, which currently stands at around 1.7 times the planet’s capacity to regenerate,” stated Yousefian. “As a leader in the ambient IoT, Wiliot has developed innovative battery-free sensing solutions that capture essential data – driving real-time and accurate understanding of a product’s impact and climate risk. Wiliot represents a paradigm shift in carbon accountability and climate intelligence, and I feel privileged to join a team that’s poised to make a material impact on the climate crisis.”

With Wiliot’s ambient IoT technology, sustainability shifts from being a side project or separate team to an integral part of procurement, production, and distribution – in line with companies’ commitments to net zero and regulatory compliance.

This is particularly relevant for industries like food, where up to 90% of emissions can come from scope 3 sources. By leveraging Wiliot’s ambient IoT technology, companies can better assess their ecological footprint and take proactive steps toward a more sustainable future.

“I’ve been involved in IoT for several years and have seen first-hand the positive impact it can have for businesses – from reducing waste to increasing crop yields,” concluded Yousefian. “However, while status quo IoT battery-powered sensors proved effective in small-scale implementations, it failed to scale across entire supply chains – which is where the real, material impact can be achieved. Wiliot, with its low-cost battery-free technology, has solved this blocker to enable real-time visibility and traceability of every finished good or even resource in our supply chains. It is well-positioned to unlock the circular economy potential for businesses and the planet.”

Wiliot is currently working with many of the world’s largest companies across CPG and grocery; apparel and soft goods; pharma; and healthcare on a variety of ambient IoT projects.

AddSecure Partnership with Cold Chain Federation

Posted on by David Priestman

AddSecure, a European provider of secure IoT connectivity and end-to-end solutions such as temperature-monitoring and connected fleet management solutions, has announced that it has become an associate member of the Cold Chain Federation. The membership is an important milestone for the company as it expands its presence in the UK and further establishes itself as a leading provider of temperature monitoring and connected fleet management solutions.

The Cold Chain Federation is the UK’s leading trade association for businesses involved in the storage, distribution, and transportation of temperature-controlled goods. As an associate member, AddSecure will have access to a wealth of industry knowledge, expertise, and networking opportunities.

AddSecure’s temperature-monitoring and connected fleet management solutions have already made a significant impact in the temperature-controlled logistics industry. With its advanced technology, the company has helped temperature-controlled businesses ensure the safety and quality of temperature-sensitive goods throughout the supply chain.

“We are delighted to become an associate member of the Cold Chain Federation,” said Paul Lawrence, MD of AddSecure UK. “The Federation’s commitment to promoting best practices in the cold chain logistics industry aligns with our own mission to provide the most advanced and effective solutions to our customers. We look forward to working closely with the Federation and its members to drive innovation and improve the safety and efficiency of the cold supply chain logistics sector.”

AddSecure’s membership in the Cold Chain Federation is a significant milestone for the company, as it expands its presence in the UK and further establishes itself as a leading provider of temperature-monitoring and connected fleet management solutions.

AddSecure is a leading European provider of secure IoT connectivity and end-to-end solutions. The company helps customers optimize their operations, drive business value, and secure vital functions. Headquarters is in Stockholm. Main market served is Europe, with customers worldwide.

Powerfleet to Acquire Movingdots

Posted on by David Priestman

Powerfleet, Inc. (Nasdaq: PWFL), a global leader of Internet of Things (IoT) software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions that optimize the performance of mobile assets and resources to unify business operations, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Movingdots, a leading provider of insurance telematics and sustainable mobility solutions based in Bremen, Germany, and a subsidiary of one of the world’s leading re-insurers, Swiss Re.

Movingdots, in partnership with Swiss Re’s Automotive and Mobility unit, has spent nearly a decade designing and perfecting data science algorithms with primary insurers to provide risk-based drive style analytics for fleets and personal auto risk. Backed with actuarial insights, Movingdots enables data-driven insurance propositions for insurers, car manufacturers, and mobility platform players worldwide. By focusing on customers’ safety and security needs, and by providing transparent and comprehensive monitoring, Movingdots combines insurance analytics with artificial intelligence (AI) technology to derive an individual risk assessment. Movingdots has been looking for the right strategic growth partner to deliver these precisely architected insurance solutions to the global market in a sustainable, profitable, and scalable way.

“I look forward to welcoming Movingdots’ exceptional team and great customers to Powerfleet,” said Steve Towe, Chief Executive Officer at Powerfleet. “World-class insurance telematics solutions as well as ESG reporting are core to Movingdots’ business and are highly aligned and complementary to Powerfleet’s strategic focus on safety and sustainability. We look forward to the partnership as we bring these industry-leading solutions to an expanded market through Powerfleet’s customer base and global go-to-market channels.”

Hendrik Todte, Managing Director at Movingdots, added: “We pride ourselves on the accuracy and reliability of our data and solutions. Achieving safer and more sustainable mobility requires engineering excellence and I am proud of the dedicated team we have built in Europe. We look forward to joining forces with Powerfleet to embrace opportunities in the corporate and commercial fleet space and to deliver innovation in mobility through cutting edge technology.”

Compelling benefits from the acquisition that are expected to support Powerfleet’s organic growth include:

• Insurance-approved solutions: Movingdots is currently owned by Swiss Re, one of the world’s leading providers of reinsurance, insurance, and other forms of insurance-based risk transfer. The insurance risk insights from Swiss Re have contributed to the creation of Movingdots’ end-to-end telematics app solution, Coloride. This adds credibility to the suite Powerfleet will offer its customers and partners.
• Enhanced Powerfleet Unity platform: Powerfleet launched its new fleet intelligence platform, Unity, at the end of 2022. Unity unites people, assets, and IoT device data together on a single platform to transform the way its customers do business. Unity is made up of six data-powered solutions, including safety and sustainability. Movingdots’ focus on delivering innovative automotive and mobility safety solutions and ESG reporting will enhance Powerfleet’s SaaS enterprise applications.
• Increased global reach and total addressable market: Movingdots’ footprint and customer base will strengthen Powerfleet’s global reach and ability to penetrate EMEA markets with wider international leadership and expanded solution offerings.
• Investment in talent: Movingdots has built a hub of excellence in Germany and beyond. Movingdots employees will strengthen Powerfleet’s current tenured and talented team, all striving to deliver on the promise of People Powered IoT.

“We are excited that we have found Powerfleet, a strong buyer for Movingdots, who has the scale and footprint to further grow the business,” said Andrea Keller, Head Automotive and Mobility, Reinsurance Solutions, at Swiss Re. “We are looking forward to continuing with Powerfleet and Movingdots in partnership.”

The acquisition is expected to close in the first quarter of 2023. Following the completion of the acquisition, all Movingdots customers will continue to receive exceptional service from the Movingdots team.

 

Mapping Here and Everywhere

Posted on by David Priestman

David Priestman met with HERE Technologies at the Gartner Supply Chain Xpo in London to see how a sleeping giant in mapping and location technology has set eyes on becoming ‘the number 1 in location’.

Seldom have we seen a supply chain crisis like the one faced today, involving all aspects of global trade and exacerbated by the pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Companies need to take the time to build more resilient operations to withstand future shocks. Fleet managers face a lot of pressure, whether it’s knowing the toll roads to avoid or getting things delivered on time. Location data is making this more seamless with the precise location, ETA and tracking of vehicles much improved. Technology such as 5G will only strengthen this further.

HERE Technologies is a name you may not know of, yet you quite possibly have used the company’s mapping technology while driving. 35 years young, with 6400 employees in 52 countries HERE wish mapping to be seen as an end in itself, with users paying for precise location. The company created the first digital map more than 35 years ago and has been in the SatNav market since 1994. It was part of Nokia for a while. Now it is owned by strategic investors including Audi, BMW and Daimler.

Christoph Herzig, pictured, is Head of Product Management, Supply Chain Solutions at HERE. He told me that the company has been offering mapping and positioning services and Application Programming Interface (APIs) to logistics companies for 10 years. The technology is integrated into SAP and Oracle’s TMS as well.

“We have our own platform with several hundred thousand users and want to become the number 1 in location,” Herzig said. HERE’s mapping features HD and 3D images, uses 900 data attributes and is approved as an AWS supply chain partner. “This means it is good for autonomous vehicles,” Herzig stated, “the HERE HD Live Map is centimetres accurate.”

TMS Partners

Current partners/customers include TMS suppliers and fleet managers. “They use our routing, geo-coding and vehicle problem solver options,” Herzig added. One customer is Active Logistics, a German TMS supplier. By using HERE, Active can enable multi-stop planning for couriers like UPS and auto-planning of routes.

“We want to sell directly now, to 3PLs/LSPs too,” Herzig continued. “Our target buyers are C.O.O.s and C.I.O.s.” HERE offers IoT tracking capacity for assets and parts. “You can navigate to the final metre and we’re offering more shipment visibility, adding air and marine schedules too,” he claimed. Data security and anonymisation for GDPR is also promised.

Data is key

The transport and logistics industry is increasingly reliant on location data and needs end-to-end visibility. Company assets can be viewed in a detailed, comprehensive, and accurate manner, and as the technology runs in real-time this gives businesses the visibility they need to manage their connections.

“Fleet managers still have a lot of concerns about the disadvantages of electric vehicles,” Herzig asserts. ”Location technology can take that burden away and make it easy to move to electric vehicles. Electrifying the last mile would have a profound impact on the CO2 emissions in many cities. With HERE’s Routing API, for example, you can input the consumption model, which depends on the ascent, descent, acceleration and deceleration along the route in addition to auxiliary power usage like air conditioning to calculate an EV-optimized route. This can extend the range of the vehicle. This works well because our map data contains all necessary information about slope, curve angle, and speed limits of each road in your city, correlated with historic traffic flow. We want to be like Intel. The advertising motto should be ‘it’s HERE inside’!”

Wiliot makes COP27 debut

Posted on by David Priestman

Wiliot, the Internet of Things pioneer whose IoT platform is enabling trillions of “things” to gain intelligence, has been selected to attend COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt from November 6th-18th. At the event, Wiliot will be showcasing its pioneering ambient computing technology – the Wiliot IoT Pixel and Cloud platform – and educating global leaders on the ways in which it’s enabling an ambient IoT poised to create more sustainable, cost-efficient supply chains.

Wiliot’s vision for the future of the ambient IoT brings intelligence and internet connectivity to every single ‘thing’ in the global supply chain, enabling products to transmit item-level information about their location, temperature, carbon footprint, and more. With this information, businesses are – for the first time – equipped with the real-time data they need to make more sustainably-minded decisions that reduce their carbon footprint.

Furthermore, the real-time delivery of this carbon data offers an effective alternative to today’s annual reporting cadence, which is proving insufficient for businesses looking to make a material impact on their carbon footprint.

Wiliot is attending COP27 as part of an Israeli delegation that includes nine other climate-tech innovators that were selected at PLANETech World, Israel’s first-ever clean-tech conference that recently took place in Tel Aviv.

“While much of the world is justifiably focused on reducing fossil fuel emissions, converting to electric vehicles, and carbon-offsetting projects, we applaud the UN and the COP27 for now also recognising supply chain efficiency as a fundamental lever in advancing global sustainability,” stated Steve Statler, Wiliot SVP of Marketing & ESG. “Trillions of things flow through our supply chains every day – a number that will only increase as billions of new people enter the middle class, with more disposable income and purchasing power. The UN recognises the urgent need to fix our supply chains, and that real-time item-level carbon data is fundamental to the regeneration of the environment.”

Wiliot IoT Pixels are stamp-sized computers that cost pennies and feature a fundamental breakthrough in ambient computing technology – or computing that’s self-powered, harvesting radio waves that are all around us. These battery-free IoT Pixels can attach to any product or packaging to connect it to the internet; not just expensive things like cars, appliances, and shipping containers, but the things inside them: fruits, veggies, vaccine vials, clothes, crates, and just about everything else.

The benefits of this technology are vast. Produce stays fresher longer, reducing the amount wasted due to rot and spoil; delivery routes are more efficient, requiring less fuel and emitting lower greenhouse gas; stock-checks transition from daily to real-time, resulting in supply chains with lower carbon footprints; and so much more.

“It’s going to take trillions of connections to solve the climate crisis,” continued Statler. “Every single thing in our global supply chain – veggies and vaccines, crates and skates, airplane parts and toy airplanes – all connected to the internet and transmitting real-time, item-level data about their location, temperate, fill rate, carbon footprint, and more. It’s this data that’s going to enable businesses to make better, more sustainably-minded decisions – and ones that make a material impact on the climate crisis today.”

Wiliot is currently working with many of the world’s largest companies, helping them transition from supply chains that often include glut, excess, and delays to demand chains that are fully responsive to real-time to consumer demand. Furthermore, the Wiliot platform is equipping employees across organisations with this real-time data empowers them to take action every day, which is proving to have a profound impact on corporate sustainability and profitability.

In a recent project with a large retailer, the temperature of a pallet of berries rose precipitously when it was mistakenly left out on a store floor, threatening the fruit’s freshness. However, rather than spoil, the temperature rise was flagged and an alert was sent to store employees, who addressed the situation in the moment.

Concluded Statler: “The ambient IoT grows the market from billions of expensive things to trillions of everyday things, and in the process totally transforms our global supply chains. We’re honoured to have been selected to attend COP27 to debut the concept of the ambient IoT, which is poised to have a profound impact on our planet.”

Ambient IoT support is being added to the wireless standards that enable the world’s phones, smart speakers, and access points. Industry analyst ABI Research predicted a total addressable market for ambient IoT of over 10 trillion devices at the recent GSMA MWC event in a presentation it co-delivered with Wiliot and Deloitte.

 

Wiliot partners with Identiv over IoT tags

Posted on by David Priestman

Wiliot, the Internet of Things pioneer whose IoT platform is on the path to enabling trillions of “things” to gain intelligence, has announced its largest-ever single order for the company’s breakthrough IoT Pixel tags. The order represents an important milestone for Wiliot and the Ambient IoT ecosystem – which it says is poised to revolutionise supply chain efficiency, sustainability, and productivity. The 25 million IoT Pixels will be manufactured by Identiv, one of the world’s largest producers of specialty RFID tags, inlays, and labels, and is the first part of an even larger order to be delivered to a major new customer.

“This agreement with Identiv represents an inflection point for Wiliot and the Ambient IoT,” stated Wiliot CEO Tal Tamir. “It demonstrates the enormous manufacturing scale that the industry offers to us, while also bringing a leading producer of smart and specialised tags into the Ambient IoT ecosystem – a market that is growing to include many of the world’s largest IoT and telecommunications companies. Global demand for our IoT Pixels is surging and the collaboration with Identiv, alongside other leading manufacturers, will ensure we’re well-positioned to deliver.”

The Ambient IoT leverages new breakthroughs in ambient computing technology – or computing that’s self-powered by harvesting its energy from the radio waves that are all around us – to connect almost everything to the internet; not just expensive things like cars, appliances, and shipping containers, but the things inside them: fruits, veggies, vaccine vials, clothes, crates, and just about everything else.

With nearly everything in the global supply chain connected to the internet and transmitting item-level information – about their location, temperature, fill-rate, carbon footprint, and more – businesses are equipped with the data they need to create more efficient, sustainable, and productive supply chains.

Wiliot says it is leading this Ambient IoT transformation through a fundamental breakthrough in ambient computing technology delivered by its IoT Pixels, which are stamp-sized computer tags that cost pennies, attach to any product or packaging, and power themselves by harvesting the energy from radio waves transmitted by other IoT devices.

The benefits of the platform technology are vast. Produce stays fresher longer, reducing the amount wasted due to rot and spoil; delivery routes are more efficient, requiring less fuel and emitting lower greenhouse gas; and stock-checks transition from daily to real-time, resulting in supply chains both with lower carbon footprints and that can respond in real-time to online orders. Ultimately, the Ambient IoT will extend into the home and offer item-level insights into expiry dates and when consumers need goods.

“The Ambient IoT in many respects represents the future of our industry, as it promises enormous potential in making all businesses more intelligent and connected,” stated Steven Humphreys, Identiv’s CEO. “We’re proud to be working with Wiliot to build this Ambient IoT – leveraging our existing RFID manufacturing processes to demonstrate that sophisticated devices can be made in very large quantities for just pennies,” added Humphreys.

The Ambient IoT builds on the foundational work done by the RFID industry and takes it to the next level – with tags that continuously communicate in real-time and don’t require employees or consumers to tap or scan in order for them to communicate. Ambient IoT devices can sense and protect data with encryption and privacy controls and – unlike previous generation IoT devices – they can be embedded into other products because there are no batteries that need to be changed.

Wiliot is tapping the production capacity of smart tag manufacturers, like Identiv, to retool systems previously used to produce RFID tags, to now make its IoT Pixels, which have all the essential components of a programmable computer. In fact, the future market for Ambient IoT and Wiliot’s IoT Pixels is so large that manufacturers are also investing in new production systems to capitalise on this paradigm shift.

Ambient IoT support is being added to the wireless standards that enable the world’s phones, smart speakers, and access points. Industry analyst ABI Research predicted a total addressable market for Ambient IoT of over 10 trillion devices at the recent GSMA MWC event in a presentation delivered with Wiliot and Deloitte titled, “6G Ambient IoT Opportunity: Antidote to Supply Chain & Climate Crises?”

Wiliot will be announcing further purchases shortly to meet the needs of customers that will scale significantly beyond this initial purchase.

Wiliot named a 2022 “Cool Vendor” by Gartner

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Wiliot, the Internet of Things pioneer whose IoT platform is enabling trillions of “things” to gain intelligence and harness the power of the cloud, has been named a “Cool Vendor” by Gartner in their recent report titled, “Cool Vendors in Indoor Location Technologies and Sensors” by Annette Zimmermann, Nick Jones, Bill Ray, and Tim Zimmerman.

This research does not constitute an exhaustive list of vendors in any given technology area, but rather is designed to highlight interesting, new and innovative vendors, products and services.

“It is a unique honour to be named a Gartner ‘Cool Vendor,’” said Tal Tamir, CEO of Wiliot. “We believe this recognition from Gartner represents our innovation, success and progress toward building a massive IoT platform that enables real-time supply chain visibility and asset management.”

Topics covered in the report include: the indoor location service technology stack; an overview of Wiliot and why it’s ‘cool’; key industry challenges; and who should care. The information provided in the report is of value to all supply chain, innovation, and sustainability professionals who are seeking new ways to transform their supply chains and assessment management tactics.

CLICK HERE to download the Gartner report.

 

Soracom customers gain satellite IoT connectivity

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Astrocast, a leading global nanosatellite IoT network operator, and Soracom, a global provider of advanced IoT connectivity, have partnered to embed the Astrocast Satellite IoT (SatIoT) solution into the Soracom platform. This collaboration enables Soracom to offer integrators and end customers blended IoT connectivity options that comprise satellite and cellular connectivity.

Since 85% of the globe has zero cellular coverage, Astrocast’s SatIoT solution will provide a key component to Soracom’s 20,000 plus customers across the world; with devices in areas where cellular coverage does not reach. Organisations can access Astrocast SatIoT by subscribing to the Soracom platform, taking advantage of the seamless, secure integration to a choice of cloud services. They will be able to make use of Soracom’s blended connectivity options or SatIoT alone.

Astrocast’s cost-effective global SatIoT will enable Soracom’s customers to derive more value from their IoT investments. An array of organisations and use cases – of all sizes and types – will benefit from SatIoT connectivity. This range includes Smart Agriculture, preventive maintenance and asset tracking.

Satellite IoT Solution Requirements

When Soracom was searching for a satellite IoT provider, several factors were important. Of note, this included global coverage, the cost model, the power efficiency of devices that would connect to the SatIoT network and, very importantly, the ease of operation of the Astrocast SatIoT platform and its integration into the Soracom solution.

Global coverage: From truly remote locations to goods in transit, SatIoT needs to deliver global connectivity that complements the existing cellular network options.

Affordability: IoT operations are incredibly cost sensitive. Whether a business is looking to deploy ten devices or hundreds of thousands of devices, tiny differences in cost, performance and lifetime will fundamentally change the return on investment (ROI).

Power consumption: The efficiency of power consumption has a direct impact on device battery life. With devices typically located in remote and inaccessible locations, it is crucial to maximise battery life, because making replacements or repairs is often impractical and unaffordable. A low power SatIoT solution will radically extend the life of a device – with batteries typically lasting between five and ten years.

Bidirectional communication: Two-way communication is essential both to underpin innovative IoT applications and enable changes to the way the device operates. For example, a business can send a short message to change a device’s operating parameters – reducing the number of times each day a temperature recording is taken, from once an hour to just twice a day, would reduce power consumption, and extend battery life further.

Effective integration: To ensure SatIoT’s commercial viability on the Soracom platform requires seamless integration, ensuring organisations can gain transparent access to IoT data irrespective of the underlying network. Astrocast’s proven API ensured a rapid interface development, enabling Soracom to add the SatIoT connectivity option for its customers.

Kenta Yasukawa, CTO, Soracom, says: “This is only the beginning of our journey with Astrocast. The power of IoT to transform operations is indisputable. What has been achieved to date is compelling; but there is so much more that can be achieved together. With an affordable and accessible IoT platform, Soracom’s addition of Astrocast SatIoT will transform the ease with which integrators and businesses of all sizes can explore the power of SatIoT. We want to work together with Astrocast, and our clients, to accelerate innovation by combining our joint depths of insight, and knowledge of IoT; with the expertise of individuals on the ground that are developing and using IoT for the integrators and customers that we work for. This way, we can ensure the most effective deployment of IoT.”

“With 83% of organisations claiming to have improved efficiency by introducing IoT technology, it is little wonder that IoT solutions have the potential to generate $4-11 trillion in economic value by 2025,” says Fabien Jordan, CEO and Co-Founder, Astrocast. “This is the first time a well-established communication provider like Soracom is expanding its global reach with satellite connectivity. Furthermore, there is a significant pent up demand across many industries for IoT deployments across the 85% of the globe that currently has zero cellular coverage.

“The availability of cost-effective, low power, bidirectional satellite technology is providing new opportunities for an array of organisations and use cases. The accessibility of the Soracom platform with Satellite IoT will give many integrators and organisations a chance to explore and develop a new dimension to their IoT platform.”

 

Wiliot launches battery-assisted version of IoT tag

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Wiliot, the Internet of Things pioneer whose IoT platform is enabling trillions of everyday “things” to gain intelligence and harness the power of the cloud, has announced a milestone expansion of its product portfolio with the introduction of a Battery-Assisted IoT Pixel, developed in partnership with leading smart tag manufacturer Identiv.

The new Battery-Assisted IoT Pixel joins the company’s flagship Battery-Free IoT Pixel to address specific IoT applications that are best served by battery power.  It is a major step forward for the company as it scales its vision for a future of the IoT, where all products are connected to the internet and embedded with cloud intelligence.

This introduction marks a rapid innovation cycle for Wiliot, following the company’s March 2022 launch of its Version 2 Battery-Free IoT Pixel – a stamp-sized computer that costs pennies and powers itself by harvesting and recycling energy from radio waves.  This solution, recently recognized by the SXSW 2022 Innovation Awards, is currently being adopted by many of the world’s leading retail, food, beverage, and pharmaceutical brands.

The Wiliot Battery-Assisted IoT Pixel uses the same exceptionally-efficient chip as the Battery-Free IoT Pixel, but it augments it with a tiny printed battery. The tags are smaller than a business card and broadcast the same standard Bluetooth beacon as the company’s Battery-Free IoT Pixel.

“Wiliot was founded on the mission to transform industries by embedding everything with cloud intelligence using our IoT pixel tagging technology,” stated Roee Zeiler, Wiliot’s CFO. “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.”

This new battery-assisted tag reduces the cost of bringing Bluetooth standards-based continuous connectivity and intelligence to things by 10X, whereas the battery-free product cuts the cost of Bluetooth standard integration by 100X.

Continued Zeiler, “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. Now, with a portfolio that includes battery-free and battery-assisted pixels, we’re one step closer to achieving our goal of creating an Internet of Trillions of Things (IoT2).”

Unlike the battery-free version, the Battery-Assisted IoT Pixel doesn’t require bridges or any other source of radio waves to harvest energy from. All they require is a device with a Bluetooth radio to read their transmission – any phone, Bluetooth gateway, or Wi-Fi access point. As such, since any BLE reader can be configured to read a Battery-Assisted IoT Pixel, and no additional infrastructure is required, the entry price and complexity of tagging things is close to zero.

The product promises to bridge between the worlds of battery-free and battery powered tags, allowing solution providers to start using the Wiliot Cloud to deploy solutions more easily to new places that may not have been accessible before.

While Battery-Free IoT Pixels address the tracking of low-priced products – clothing, food, medicine, and more – this launch enables tracking of medium value to higher value assets such as temporary promotional signage, certain returnable transport items, IT assets, and retail assets – which benefit from the boosted connectivity yet can also better absorb the battery-assisted pixel’s higher price-point.

Compared with conventional Bluetooth tags, Wiliot’s Battery-Assisted IoT Pixel is thinner (1.3mm at its thickest), lower cost, and more physically flexible – so they can easily attach to products on a production line at speed and in volume using a label applicator. Compared with conventional Bluetooth beacons, Wiliot’s new battery-assisted beacon features extremely low power consumption that enables longer lifetime in a smaller form factor.

The first Battery-Assisted IoT Pixel will be mass-produced by leading smart tag manufacturer Identiv, which is known for focusing on more sophisticated and specialist tag designs. Limited availability of the Battery-Assisted IoT Pixels will begin next month, while larger quantities will be ready for roll-out by the end of year.

“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. 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,” said Amir Khoshniyati, VP and GM Transponders, Identiv.

The Wiliot Battery-Assisted IoT Pixel tag will be available directly from Identiv and will use the same Wiliot cloud services to manage scale, privacy and sensing, that brings intelligence to products and packaging that were previously offline.

 

 

 

Inmarsat launches initiative to harness industrial IoT

Posted on by Keith McKinley

With more businesses recognising the impact of IoT technologies on their operations and on the world, and the number of global satellite IoT connections set to continue growing at a 25% CAGR in the coming years, the need for a ‘one stop shop’ for IoT solutions has never been greater.

To accelerate these IoT opportunities for businesses around the world, Inmarsat, a world leader in global, mobile satellite communications, is announcing Inmarsat ELEVATE, a new partner programme offering three key pillars to support businesses throughout the IoT ecosystem and to cement the industry’s future growth.

The first pillar is a development programme for IoT solution providers, system integrators, machinery manufacturers, and OEMs looking to scale, who will be able to take advantage of Inmarsat’s ELERA satellite network and footprint.

The second pillar is a partner ecosystem, enabling organisations to access each other’s knowledge and collaborate with other organisations within the satellite IoT sector.

The third pillar is an online marketplace to promote IoT solutions that work seamlessly anywhere in the world, no matter how remote – to ensure every business can benefit.

In the next five years, the goal of Inmarsat ELEVATE is to help partners achieve double digit growth – as well as establishing Inmarsat ELEVATE as the leading IoT marketplace for solutions that work anywhere in the world.

Mike Carter, President at Inmarsat Enterprise, said: “The satellite IoT market has been steadily growing for years – and now is the time to up the ante and kickstart its next stage of more rapid growth. Inmarsat ELEVATE will help our customers realise the promise of IoT anywhere, while empowering the wider satellite IoT ecosystem to make it a reality. The ELEVATE community will play an active role in addressing the planet’s really big challenges, helping build a more sustainable, efficient and safe global supply chain.

“Inmarsat’s ELERA network provides an essential backbone to IoT innovation, so our development partners will be able to scale and grow their operations backed by its reliability and seamless global connectivity. Our partner ecosystem will enable knowledge-sharing and collaboration at an unprecedented scale, between parties of all sizes, in all geographies and industries, while our online marketplace will promote IoT solutions for any and every business need.

“Launching a programme like Inmarsat ELEVATE is about using our expertise and technological strength for the good of our customers – and we’re confident that it will have a huge impact on the organisations that need it most. We’re excited to work with as many new partners as possible, and to see what we can achieve together – as individual businesses, and as an innovative, game-changing industry.”

Partners will benefit from Inmarsat’s global footprint, empowering them to take advantage of opportunities beyond their existing operational regions. Inmarsat will also support building customised growth plans for each partner, and help businesses make sense of global regulations and market access.

ELEVATE partners will be able to harness these new commercial opportunities and scale faster than ever thanks to Inmarsat’s ELERA network, the world’s most reliable satellite network for IoT and secure narrowband connectivity. ELERA offers more global spectrum than any L-band provider, with Inmarsat’s recently launched I-6 F1 satellite (and I-6 F2 launching in Q1 2023) making the best use of the available spectrum and providing 50% more capacity per beam.

What’s more, dedicated technical teams will be on hand to help new partners test, integrate and optimise their satellite connectivity investments, to ensure their success. For those struggling to access the capital they need to support this growth, the ecosystem will also offer smaller companies new opportunities to access funding through its financial community – further strengthening the industry’s growth.

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