Iteris and Sumitomo Electric Industries (SEI) have announced a partnership that will bring the Sumitomo Pedestrian Detection sensor to the U.S. market, a technology that has enhanced pedestrian safety across Japan. (more…)
June 12, 2024
Posted by: Magda Dabrowska
Sigfox SA, a robust and low-power technology, was selected by the National Treasury as the network to underpin the new smart water meter ecosystem. The tender, commonly known as “RT29” awarded to various System Integrators, will see existing meters adapted or replaced to become smart meters to improve revenue collection and service delivery. All the new meters will run on the nationwide Sigfox IoT network. (more…)
June 11, 2024
Posted by: Magda Dabrowska
Shelly Group AD has completed SmartThings certification of Wave Plug US. This is another significant step for the company in offering a smart home experience through the Samsung SmartThings ecosystem, expanding the reach of its latest products to millions of users across the globe. (more…)
Posted by: Magda Dabrowska
Hewlett Packard Enterprise has announced the #1 U.S. consumer brand for almonds and almond milk, Blue Diamond Growers is continuing its 100-year tradition of quality, innovation and food safety by modernising its wireless networking infrastructure with an HPE Aruba Networking Wi-Fi 6E-enabled solution.
The deployment improves mobile and IoT device connectivity in support of the California-based cooperative’s three manufacturing facilities that processes approximately a billion pounds of almonds annually for domestic and worldwide consumption on behalf of its 3,000 grower-owners. Stretching across over 3.3 million square feet of manufacturing facilities, including 40 acres of outdoor crop receiving areas, the new Wi-Fi network also provides AI-powered intelligence that is speeding troubleshooting by 50%.
“Our enterprise has a rich history of using innovation to produce and market almond products,” said Ryan Funk, the IT infrastructure director for Blue Diamond Growers. “Today, we rely on mobile and IoT-enabled technologies for moving almonds that arrive fresh from the field through production quickly, efficiently and safely, which ultimately enables delivering the highest value to our grower-owners.”
As the domestic almond supply and production leader since its founding in 1910, Blue Diamond relies extensively upon Wi-Fi connectivity for receiving and tracking almonds and almond products throughout its manufacturing, storage and distribution processes.
From crop delivery areas through finished product shipment, Blue Diamond workers use a variety of mobile devices, including scanners, tablets and label printers, all of which feed data into the enterprise’s cloud-enabled ERP solution around the clock. IoT-enabled systems are also extensively deployed, such as for constantly monitoring temperatures across the industry’s largest refrigerated storage capacity to maintain quality and freshness, which require reliable, secure connectivity from APs acting as an IoT platform.
“For innovative global food producers that depend upon connectivity for bringing products to market, fast, reliable and secure networking infrastructure is essential for supplying consumers with high-quality, nutritious and flavorful products,” said Stuart Strickland, the wireless chief technology officer at HPE Aruba Networking. “Whether its mobilising employees across indoor production and R&D facilities or ensuring rapid and accurate crop receipts during 24/7 harvest seasons, high-performance intelligent Wi-Fi enables Blue Diamond Growers to fulfill its core mission: maximise grower returns and deliver the benefits of almonds to the world.”
With regulatory approvals in place, Blue Diamond was eager to act on their vision to move to Wi-Fi 6E APs. To answer their mobile and IoT data traffic demands, while minimising operating overhead, the company adopted an AI-powered wireless solution that includes HPE Aruba Networking Wi-Fi 6E Access Points (APs) for indoor facilities and ruggedised outdoor Wi-Fi 6 APs for exterior connectivity. The network is unified and managed with HPE Aruba Networking Central, which streamlines and simplifies administration.
According to Funk, the network intelligence supplied by HPE Aruba Networking Central is important for enabling company’s ultra-lean IT staff to manage multiple geographically-disbursed facilities. “Having a powerful, centralised and intuitive management tool that also supports manufacturing frameworks for NIST and ISO is essential,” he said. “In addition, with HPE Aruba Networking Central, we’re resolving Wi-Fi trouble calls 50% faster, reducing IT overhead while improving user experiences.”
Prior to its new Wi-Fi infrastructure, Blue Diamond began saving more than USD$250,000 annually vs Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) by adopting HPE Aruba Networking EdgeConnect SD-WAN to gain a self-driving wide area network that serves as a foundation for zero trust and secure access service edge (SASE) cybersecurity. In addition, the company deployed HPE Aruba Networking Boost, for WAN optimisation.
Looking ahead, Blue Diamond expects its new networking infrastructure will continue powering company R&D efforts and business growth. “The combination of exceptional enterprise Wi-Fi and ongoing support we receive from HPE Aruba Networking enables us to envision operational and product innovations that were impossible before,” Funk said.
To learn more, visit HPE Aruba Networking.
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June 6, 2024
Posted by: Magda Dabrowska
IGEL has announced that it aims to deliver a secure and engaging digital experience on commercial displays from LG Business Solutions. This expanded collaboration with LG Electronics – beyond the popular LG thin-client devices powered by the IGEL OS – marks IGEL’s entry into the operational technology (OT) and Internet of Things (IoT) segments. (more…)
June 5, 2024
Posted by: Magda Dabrowska
Sisvel has launched a new informational campaign that will help IoT device makers navigate the legal issues involved in implementing the NB-IoT and LTE-M standards and understand the simple, efficient solutions created by industry to ensure the continued growth of these technologies. (more…)
Posted by: Magda Dabrowska
Haier Europe, part of Haier Smart Home, has chosen Orange Business connectivity and IoT services to help innovate its sustainable solutions, while optimising resource consumption and extending the life of products. (more…)
June 4, 2024
Posted by: Magda Dabrowska
Schneider Electric as announced the opening of its smart factory in Dunavecse, Hungary. The site spans 28,000 m2 and will be the workplace of up to 500 employees. (more…)
June 3, 2024
Posted by: Magda Dabrowska
Aqara unveiled on Thursday the Roller Shade Controller T1S, a tubular motor supporting Matter compatibility over bridge for superior interoperability across smart home platforms and devices. A solution that blends into any interior, this motor offers homeowners enhanced convenience, energy efficiency and privacy. By automating shades, it eliminates the need for manual adjustments, providing holistic smart home experience.
Whether through remote control, preset schedules, mobile apps, voice assistants, or complete home automation, the Roller Shade Controller T1S makes it a breeze to adjust multiple shades simultaneously, including those in hard-to-reach windows. It features a myriad of automation and controls that intuitively respond to users’ needs, allowing for the creation of ambience, adjustment to lighting throughout the day, temperature regulation in concert with other smart devices, and enhanced privacy from the outside world.
Compatible with various window coverings such as roller shades, zebra roller blinds, Shangri-la blinds, and honeycomb blinds, this Zigbee-based roller shade motor offers maximum flexibility and seamless integration with Matter-compatible platforms via an Aqara Matter bridge.
The T1S connects with Aqara Home and third-party platforms including Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home, Home Assistant, Homey, and SmartThings, offering homeowners greater choices in creating personalised smart home scenes and automation.
Featuring advanced DC motor technology, the Roller Shade Controller T1S operates at a high speed of 25 rpm while maintaining a low noise level of under 27 dB, ensuring a peaceful atmosphere conducive to relaxation, focus, and productivity. The Aqara Home app supports even quieter operation of the motor by allowing it to open or close slowly and gradually over a preset time period, such as 30 minutes.
Last week, Aqara released Smart Lock U50, its latest addition to the smart lock product line. Aiming to bring convenience and added security, the entry-level solution comes equipped with advanced features like Apple home key unlocking and Matter compatibility over a bridge. The launch transforms traditional key access into a keyless, integrated experience for more households.
The Smart Lock U50 offers multiple secure entry options including Apple home keys, which allow for effortless unlocking with a simple tap of an iPhone or Apple Watch. Homeowners can also manage and share home access with one-time and recurring passwords, as well as NFC cards. Physical keys are provided for added peace of mind, and the lock includes a USB-C port for emergency charging, ensuring access is never lost even if batteries are depleted.
May 31, 2024
Posted by: Anna Ribeiro
Afero announced that it has signed the Secure by Design pledge from the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), making it the first secure IoT platform company to do so. The move highlights the company’s dedication to delivering enterprise-grade security for IoT endpoints, including devices that may lack sufficient memory and processing power to support traditional operating systems.
The IoT Platform as a Service by Afero focuses on security, data privacy, simplicity, and user-friendliness throughout the end-to-end experience. These core principles are seamlessly integrated into the solution, empowering manufacturers and brands to safeguard their supply chain.
Afero’s technology is utilised in millions of devices spanning 150 product categories from over 50 manufacturers, including brands like Defiant, Hampton Bay, and EcoSmart.
“Our mission at Afero has always been to enable connected devices to be smart and secure,” said Joe Britt, CEO and co-founder of Afero. “By signing the CISA Secure by Design pledge, we are reinforcing our commitment to leading the IoT industry with robust security measures that extend all the way to the endpoint, even the most constrained devices. This pledge aligns perfectly with our core values and ongoing efforts to safeguard the IoT supply chain.”
The CISA Secure by Design pledge is a voluntary commitment to improve the security of enterprise software products and services, including on-premises software, cloud services, and software as a service (SaaS). While the pledge does not currently include physical products such as IoT devices and consumer products, Afero has been committed since its founding to extending this same secure-by-design philosophy down to physical products such as high-volume consumer devices.
“The surging demand for connected devices will make IoT security more critical than ever,” said Bret Jordan, the company’s chief security strategist. “Afero is at the forefront of securing this hyperconnected edge, ensuring every device, no matter how small, remains secure. As the first IoT platform player to sign the CISA pledge, we’re demonstrating Afero’s unwavering dedication to this cause.”
May 30, 2024
Posted by: Anna Ribeiro