Using AI analysis on a large scale can be slow and complex, and associated with higher maintenance costs and software upkeep to onboard new AI models and additional hardware. With edge computing capabilities emerging in more remote locations, AI analysis can be placed closer to the sensors, reducing latency and increasing bandwidth.

Red Hat and NTT, in collaboration with NVIDIA and Fujitsu, have jointly developed a solution to enhance and extend the potential for real-time artificial intelligence (AI) data analysis at the edge.

Built on the foundation of Red Hat OpenShift, the solution has received an Innovative Optical and Wireless Network (IOWN) Global Forum's Proof of Concept (PoC) recognition for its real-world viability and use cases.

This solution consists of the IOWN All-Photonics Network (APN) and data pipeline acceleration technologies in IOWN Data-Centric Infrastructure (DCI). NTT’s accelerated data pipeline for AI adopts Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA) over APN to efficiently collect and process large amounts of sensor data at the edge.

Container orchestration technology from Red Hat OpenShift provides greater flexibility to operate workloads within the accelerated data pipeline across geographically distributed and remote data centres.

NTT and Red Hat have successfully demonstrated that this solution can effectively reduce power consumption while maintaining lower latency for real-time AI analysis at the edge.

Delivering the PoC

The proof of concept evaluated a real-time AI analysis platform with Yokosuka City as the sensor installation base and Musashino City as the remote data centre, both connected via APN. As a result, even when many cameras were accommodated, the latency required to aggregate sensor data for AI analysis was reduced by 60% compared to conventional AI inference workloads.

The IOWN PoC testing also demonstrated that the power consumption required for AI analysis for each camera at the edge could be reduced by 40% from conventional technology. This real-time AI analysis platform allows the GPU to be scaled up to accommodate a larger number of cameras without the CPU becoming a bottleneck.

According to a trial calculation, assuming that 1,000 cameras can be accommodated, it is expected that power consumption can be further reduced by 60%. The highlights of the proof of concept for this solution are as follows:

• Accelerated data pipeline for AI inference, provided by NTT, utilizing RDMA over APN to directly fetch large-scale sensor data from local sites to the memory in an accelerator in a remote data centre, reducing the protocol-handling overheads in the conventional network. It then completes data processing of AI inference within the accelerator with less CPU-controlling overheads, improving the power efficiency in AI inference.
• Large-scale AI data analysis in real-time, powered by Red Hat OpenShift, can support Kubernetes operators5 to minimize the complexity of implementing hardware-based accelerators (GPUs, DPUs, etc.), enabling improved flexibility and easier deployment across disaggregated sites, including remote data centres.
• This PoC uses NVIDIA A100 Tensor Core GPUs and NVIDIA ConnectX-6 NICs for AI inference.
• This solution helps set the stage for intelligent AI-enabled technologies that will help businesses sustainably scale. With this solution, organisations can benefit from:
• Reduced overhead associated with collecting large amounts of data;
• Enhanced data collection that can be shared between metropolitan areas and remote data centres for quicker AI analysis;
• The ability to utilize locally available and potentially renewable energy, such as solar or wind;
• Increased area management security with video cameras acting as sensor devices.

The post PoC fuel AI Analysis at the edge appeared first on FutureIoT.

Picking up the project, UnaBiz purportedly will together with ACMV expert, D-Team Engineering to:

1. Replace the Air Handling Unit (AHU) at the plant room located adjacent to the service corridor.
2. Replace the Variable Volume Air (VAV) Controller sets located within the office areas.
3. Deploy close to 800 wireless IAQ monitoring sensors and 50 LoRaWAN gateways to monitor the IAQ levels of all five Suntec City Office Towers to ensure consistent IAQ standards and monitor the performance of the new ACMV systems.

According to Steven Kong, senior manager of operations of APM Property Management, the main purpose of the rejuvenation plan is to help maintain comfort and a stable temperature in all five office towers. A data-driven ACMV system ensures good air quality for shoppers and tenants, while a high energy-efficiency system helps optimise energy consumption and reduce carbon emissions.

For this project, UnaBiz will install Milesight IAQ sensors and gateways, with Actility ThingPark Enterprise on-premises IoT platform on a LoRaWAN network. The deployment will be carried out in phases starting with Tower 4, Tower 2, Tower 3, Tower, 1 and Tower 5.

 In total, there are about 2.3 million square feet of office space. Tower One to Four is 45-storey representing the 4 fingers and Tower 5 is 18-storey representing the thumb.

The IAQ sensor is a comprehensive 9-in-1 solution that integrates nine types of sensors to measure various ambient conditions including CO2 concentration, temperature, humidity, light, TVOC, barometric pressure, PM2.5, PM10, formaldehyde and motion. This energy-efficient sensor is designed for real-time monitoring and collecting reliable IAQ data 24/7.

UnaBiz Singapore’s managing director, Jonathan Tan acknowledged that the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated to us the importance of IAQ monitoring as the majority of us spend our time indoors. By integrating indoor IAQ monitoring with the new ACMV system, Suntec City can prioritise tenant well-being, and optimise airflow and energy consumption through data-driven ventilation.

The post Suntec City Office Towers to enhance indoor air quality for tenant comfort appeared first on FutureIoT.

Enterprises continue to embrace IoT strategies to streamline operations, boost efficiency, and improve customer experiences. From hospitals to manufacturers to public sector agencies, IoT device fleets are critical for meeting these modernization goals.

However, the acceleration in connected device deployment opens new windows for cybercriminals and exposes networks to potential breaches.

Kenan Frager, VP of Marketing at Asimily, warns that vulnerable IoT devices continue to be a glaring cybersecurity weak spot for many enterprises. He opines that businesses are lured by the benefits the devices offer but do not take the necessary effort to check if such technologies are sufficiently secure.

“Regardless of industry, an attack on IoT infrastructure can and will result in operational downtime, loss of IP, loss of revenue, and reputational harm.”

Kenan Frager

He notes that regulatory compliance adds another layer of pressure, with steep fines and sanctions looming for breaches that affect HIPAA, PCI DSS, NIST, SOC 2, and other increasingly stringent mandates.

Report findings

Breach tactics continue evolving: Cybercriminals seeking confidential proprietary data to sell for financial gain look for and infiltrate vulnerable and often-unsecured IoT devices to establish initial access to an enterprise’s network.

That tactic supports ransomware attacks as well, with criminals gaining access via IoT endpoints, encrypting data, and extorting ransoms. In other cases, nation-state-sponsored groups are motivated to shut down or disrupt the services of their targets.

A common tactic is harvesting vast fleets of vulnerable IoT devices to create botnets and utilize them to conduct DDoS attacks. Attackers also know they can rely on unresolved legacy vulnerabilities, as 34 of the 39 most-used IoT exploits have been present in devices for at least three years.

Routers are the most targeted IoT devices, accounting for 75% of all IoT infections. Hackers exploit routers as a stepping stone to access other connected devices within a network. Security cameras and IP cameras are the second most targeted devices, making up 15% of all attacks.

Other commonly targeted devices include digital signage, media players, digital video recorders, printers, and smart lighting. The Asimily report, IoT Device Security in 2024: The High Cost of Doing Nothing also highlights the especially consequential risks associated with specialised industry equipment, including devices critical to patient care in healthcare (including blood glucose monitors and pacemakers), real-time monitoring devices in manufacturing, and water quality sensors in municipalities.

Cyber insurers are capping payouts. Cybersecurity insurance is becoming more expensive and difficult to obtain as cyberattacks become more common. More insurers are now requiring businesses to have strong IoT security and risk management in place to qualify for coverage—and increasingly denying or capping coverage for those that do not meet certain thresholds.

Among the reasons why cyber insurers deny coverage, a lack of security protocols is the most common, at 43%. Not following compliance procedures accounts for 33% of coverage denials. Even if insured, though, reputational damage remains a risk: 80% of a business’s customers will defect if they do not believe their data is secure.

Manufacturing is now the top target: Cybercriminals are increasingly focusing their attention on the manufacturing, finance, and energy industries. Retail, education, healthcare, and government organizations remain popular targets, while media and transportation have been de-emphasized over the past couple of years.

“There’s a clear and urgent need for more businesses to prioritise a more thorough risk management strategy capable of handling the unique challenges of the IoT,” said Shankar Somasundaram, CEO, Asimily.

“While organisations often struggle with the sheer volume of vulnerabilities in their IoT device fleets, crafting effective risk KPIs and deploying tools to gain visibility into device behaviour empowers them to prioritise and apply targeted fixes.”

Shankar Somasundaram

He added that this approach, coupled with a deeper understanding of attacker behaviour, enables teams to distinguish between immediate threats, manageable risks, and non-existent dangers.

“The right strategy equips organizations to focus efforts where they matter most, maximising their resources while ensuring the security of their IoT ecosystem at scale,” he concluded.

The post Rising risks from accelerated use of unchecked IoT in enterprise appeared first on FutureIoT.

Smart parking utilises a combination of sensors and real-time data to provide road users with information on closest available parking spaces and prices, through either signage, apps or dashboards. This helps reduce congestion and emissions produced by vehicles searching for suitable parking spaces.

Dynamic pricing vital in reducing city congestion

The report urges city municipalities to seriously consider investing in and implementing smart parking initiatives within highly congested cities. The advantages surrounding dynamic pricing in smart parking can not only be used to strategically increase revenue, but also have the ability to ease ongoing congestion issues. This is achieved by lowering prices in less congested parking areas; making them more attractive to drivers.

Research author Cara Malone commented: “With more data than ever available and the low latency that 5G provides, parking solutions have become highly responsive. In cities where on-street parking is a major issue, dynamic signage can be deployed to utilise available parking more efficiently at quieter times; significantly reducing congestion.”

Data analytics to optimise transit routes 

Juniper Research recommends smart parking vendors offer data analytics services to municipalities and governments as a priority. This data is critical to analysing parking and occupancy patterns, which can be used to optimise transit routes and development; helping shift citizens to public transport and providing significant value for cities.

The post Smarts tech to solve parking congestion appeared first on FutureIoT.

Transport infrastructure includes roads, railways, ports, and airports. A transport system is a vital driver of social and economic development, which generates opportunities for both poor and facilitating economies to become competitive. It facilitates the supply of goods and services globally.

The Transportation Infrastructure Market report paints a positive outlook for the market from 2022 onwards. “As the industry continues to recover globally, it remains an attractive investment landscape, attracting new ventures and setting the stage for future developments,” concludes the report.

Fitch Ratings paints a more sombre outlook for the industry reflecting what it perceives as slowing economic growth in 2023, with high inflation and rising interest rates offsetting strong sector fundaments.

Speaking to FutureIoT at the 2023 Year in Infrastructure and Going Digital Awards, Dustin Parkman, vice president for Transportation at Bentley Systems, believes that the ongoing transformation of the sector may have been led (or kickstarted) by China and its One Belt/One Road initiative.

What is different about recent developments, he reckons, is diversification outside of China, in places such as India, as well as Southeast Asian countries.

“What we're seeing particularly in urban areas is a change in attitude, particularly in as far as how projects are done,” he started. “The engineering methods in transportation tend to be rooted in tradition for a very long time. You can argue there is resistance to change.”

However, he acknowledged that resistance to change is peeling away as a result of a combination of a greater number of more complex technical projects, involving more subcontractors – meaning more people to coordinate and collaborate with, and a greater reliance on data to support these mega projects.”

Demand for BIMs on the rise

The concept of Business Information Modelling (BIM) has been around for decades. Its evolution, however, may have accelerated with the development of the Internet and the realisation that digital connectivity facilitates even higher productivity while lowering the chances for errors.

Parkman noted that BIM allows different engineering disciplines and planners to coordinate and share their information.

“You have people that are designing roads, people that are designing and engineering bridges, tunnels, and drainage. All these things come together to form a complex system. Despite this complexity, BIM allows those participants to share their data and be able to match it up in 3D space and allows them to identify all the different mismatches that happen.”

Dustin Parkman

He opined that BIM helps mismatches be identified and sorted out during construction. “This way you can identify potential problems much earlier in the design and engineering phase because you are essentially able to simulate the construction.”

Click on the video to see Parkman’s responses to the following:

1. Provide of state of where we are in Asia's transportation sector.
2. Which technologies are proving to be effective tools in the modernisation of public transportation?
3. What are the top challenges slowing/hindering modernisation?
4. How/where do you see data-centric digital workflows supporting modernisation?
5. How do you see AI/ML technologies being applied (low-value to high-value) to support modernisation?

The post Asia's transportation trends in 2024 appeared first on FutureIoT.

ABI Research predicts the global installed base of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) in warehouses will surpass 500,000 by 2030.

“There are now many options to automate a warehouse. Both stationary and mobile automation solutions have continued to expand to new form factors and are becoming more effective as Artificial Intelligence (AI) processing grows,” explains Ryan Wiggin, supply chain management & logistics industry analyst at ABI Research.

He estimates that new warehouse buildings dropped by as much as 35% in 2023 compared to 2022 because of economic headwinds and demand shifts, with the reduction expected to continue into the first half of 2024.

However, he believes that as construction picks up later this year, incorporating automation into new builds will be top of mind for organisations.

“While automation is of key interest, companies should continue to invest heavily in augmenting their manual workers with digital devices and wearables to boost worker experience while introducing automation for basic movement tasks. The most efficient warehouses are those that focus on both areas,” concludes Wiggin.

The post Accessible automation will see steady investment in warehouses appeared first on FutureIoT.

From ensuring secure financial transactions to enhancing border control and streamlining retail interactions, advanced biometrics' ability to provide robust security while improving user experience marks a new era in sectors such as financial services, government & law enforcement, retail, automotive, healthcare, and consumer goods, says GlobalData.

Saurabh Daga, associate project manager of disruptive tech at GlobalData, comments: “Biometric technologies are transforming various sectors by uniquely identifying individuals through traits like fingerprints, voice, and facial patterns. The integration of AI and machine learning has boosted their accuracy and ability to detect fraud, especially in finance and healthcare. As privacy regulations evolve, the providers and implementors of biometric technologies are also adapting upgraded secure and ethical data practices. This blend of innovation and security is positioning biometrics as a key ingredient in future technology solutions, balancing user experience with individual rights.”

GlobalData’s “Advanced biometrics: emerging trends and technologies in authentication” report delves into over 60 real-life implementations of biometric technologies. The report categorizes these implementations based on the end-use sectors and applications.

Daga says “Advanced biometrics are likely to be a game-changer for a multitude of industries. Their ability to enhance security, streamline processes, and offer personalized experiences is reshaping the way businesses and governments operate.”

“By harnessing the power of advanced biometrics in combination with technologies such as AI, blockchain, and IoT, industries can unlock new levels of security and convenience, ultimately shaping a more secure and user-friendly future,” he concluded.

The post Biometrics will redefine security and UX appeared first on FutureIoT.

The surge in extreme weather events linked to climate change has also laid bare additional vulnerabilities in aging and strained post-war infrastructure. A greater variety of sensor and connectivity types alongside more advanced data analytics software platforms is enabling the Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) market to expand.

ABI Research says SHM sensors will reach 22.9 million connections by 2030, with a CAGR of 18% for wired retrofitted sensors and 28% for wireless retrofitted sensors.

"The greater variety of IoT sensor hardware has made it much easier for asset owners to integrate sensors into their operations, shifting away from expensive and bulky implementations to lower cost and easy-to-install solutions," says Maryam Zafar, IoT markets analyst at ABI Research.

"Vendors are increasingly investing in software and analytics platforms to extract meaningful information from large volumes of data. Enhanced software intelligence is key, offering actionable information that adds significant value and enables more efficient predictive maintenance." Maryam Zafar

Innovation is happening on two fronts in the SHM market. First, it is happening on the hardware edge with a shift to smaller data loggers and DAQs, greater edge processing capabilities, and a more extensive variety of sensors and technologies.

Second, it is happening with the software. Many companies seek an analytics platform, often compatible with other third-party sensors. Vendors also want to see how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can improve predictive capabilities and generate more value for asset owners and managers.

One of the biggest markets for SHM is the rail industry, as demand for rail transport is expected to double in the next two decades.

As demand for passenger and freight travel increases, so does the need to prevent delays. By digitizing rail infrastructure and monitoring critical areas of concern, such as rail tracks, switches, and slopes, rail operators know when failures will happen and can implement more efficient predictive maintenance strategies. Wireless sensor technology is essential here.

“The lack of awareness in this market combined with expensive technologies means that this market has hitherto seen low penetration. New technologies should change this, shifting from end-of-life maintenance to solutions designed into projects,” says Zafar.

"Technology vendors should ensure they are taking advantage of new technology opportunities and understand how they should position themselves to target the great variety of markets within the SHM ecosystem,” she concluded.

The post Predictive maintenance is the future appeared first on FutureIoT.

Getting better with time

IoT elevators are proving to be more efficient than traditional elevators compared to next-generation elevators.

With a growth rate valued at US$18.4 Billion, in 2022 the hardware demand has boomed significantly in the past few years. Based on the data that is being collected from daily usage of elevators, artificial intelligence is currently being used to assist both operators and mechanical contractors in keeping up with their daily routines finding ways to manage the flow of elevator traffic better and finding ways to prevent problems before they occur.

The integration of third-party systems with elevators is expected to become more prevalent as technology develops in the future. In addition, construction companies are raising their demands for efficient and safe technologies in the global elevator market.

The growth of the market will be driven by the increase in urbanization and the increased demand for residential & commercial amenities will significantly raise the market for IoT in elevators markets. These trends will likely lead to traction for the IoT market in elevators.

Devices powered by IoT technology can manage big data streams and perform predictive maintenance in elevators.

Key takeaways

• India to emerge as the dominant IoT in elevators market, reaching US$ 6.0 Billion by 2032
• China is the fastest-growing market, registering a CAGR of 14.6% across the decade

By component type, hardware to register maximum IoT in elevator usage, growing at a 12.1% CAGR

Preventive maintenance to emerge as the top application, growing at a rate of 13.9% through 2032

“With growing technology, AI and machine learning can be used to simulate the adoption and growth of smart elevators in the future,” remarks an analyst at Fact.MR.

Competitive landscape

Prominent manufacturers of IoT in elevators are eyeing technological innovations to provide their customers with the most accurate and precise elevator system arrangements. To enhance their presence across significant geographies, companies are forging collaborative agreements with government entities.

The need for smarter elevators has led to innovative IoT solutions being developed by several players in the current market landscape which will further boost various innovations over time.

The post Asia to lead demand in IoT in elevators appeared first on FutureIoT.

While water covers 71% of the earth’s surface, only 3 per cent of it is fresh water with only 0.3% found in lakes, rivers and swamps.

The scarcity of fresh water may be apparent among city dwellers, but safe and clean water is even more scarce in the less developed regions of Asia.

Gregg Herrin, vice president for water infrastructure at Bentley Systems, says water scarcity in Asia presents different challenges depending on which part of Asia you are looking into.

“There are areas of Asia where people do not have water infrastructure at all. So, bringing clean drinking water, bringing sanitation services, is important for people who don’t have access to it,” he revealed.

Speaking to FutureIoT at the 2023 Year in Infrastructure and Going Digital Awards, Herrin acknowledged the wide disparity of development when it comes to water management, citing places like Singapore where advanced infrastructure exists, and efforts exist to further optimise how the resource is consumed and managed, and to do so while reducing their energy consumption, their carbon footprint, improve reliability and reduce service interruptions.

On the other extreme, he goes on, are regions that are looking to just build infrastructure and provide that service.

The impact of decades of legacy infrastructure

Herrin comments that much of the current water and wastewater infrastructure is buried (under the ground). And because pipes are hidden, this presents the challenge of managing what is not easily visible.

He concedes efforts to bring technology that would make it possible to visualise and measure the water flowing through the networks of pipes, as well as simulate (model) how water is flowing through that underground network of pipes.

He cited the potential to use data collated from sensors that monitor water flow or pressure to determine the condition of the pipes and pumps.

“Combining it digitally lets you see things through this network of systems that you wouldn't be able to see if you were just using traditional methods,” he continued.

The state of water management

Herrin concedes software tools are used to help design the network of water systems as these can be complicated. However, a growing trend is in the use of digital twin technologies, particularly in complex use cases like water treatment facilities where complex issues like chemistry, biology, or the hydraulic characteristic of water (and wastewater) come together to undergo some treatment prior to distribution.

“All sorts of different types of engineers and other professionals are working together to try to make sure that everything functions the way it should,” explained Herrin. “If the plant process engineer decides that they need to change something, the structural engineer needs to make sure the building won't fall.

“There's an aspect of working with digital twins that helps those different collaborators be more effective in doing that type of work together,” continued Herrin.

He further cites the example of a (water) pump that will gradually degrade over time. “The pump may not operate as efficiently as it could, or if the conditions in the network are dramatically different from the initial design – the pump might not operate at all,” he posited.

Click on the video to see Herrin’s responses to the following:

1. In Asia, what are the current constraints towards better water management?
2. What does digital transformation look like in the water utilities sector?
3. What is meant by digital water management?
4. How do you see digital technologies enabling the water industry to support GHG emissions reduction?
5. Do you need to go digital, and to what extent, to achieve ESG/sustainability targets?

The post Water management trends for Asia in 2024 appeared first on FutureIoT.

The Nokia 20203 Threat Intelligence Report claims that 60% of attacks against telecom mobile networks are linked to IoT bots scanning for vulnerable hosts for use in distributed denial of service attacks.

Impact of unmonitored technology on security

Many say the weakest link is humans. I'd argue that the IoT devices that have been quietly sitting in the business perimeter present just as big a clear and present danger to consumers and enterprises. This has been repeatedly highlighted in cyberattacks against critical infrastructure.

Steven Scheurmann, regional vice president for ASEAN at Palo Alto Networks, says the escalation of cyberattacks on IoT and OT devices is a significant concern in ASEAN, with 60% of organisations acknowledging increased security risks associated with IoT. He pointed out that Unit 42's IoT Threat Report highlights that 57% of IoT devices are susceptible to medium to high-severity attacks.

He opined that the primary reason behind this trend is the expansion of the attack surface, as hackers exploit unsecured IoT and OT devices newly connected to networks.

“These devices often lack security updates and configurations, making them easy targets. Also, they may store sensitive personal data, making them attractive to hackers, particularly in sectors like healthcare. This evolving threat landscape is deeply concerning.”

Steven Scheurmann

The sum of the parts is better

It is widely known that IT teams and those with operational technology oversight have not, traditionally, seen the need to work together. However, recent attacks against critical infrastructure and supply chains suggest that threat actors are looking at multiple channels to penetrate an organisation.

“Across ASEAN and globally, organisations possess a multitude of diverse devices, including traditional endpoints like PCs and smartphones, cloud-based applications, and a mix of on-premises and hybrid cloud systems,” said Scheurmann. “In recent years, this fragmentation has become prevalent, resulting in varied configurations, standards, and compliance measures. This lack of uniformity creates vulnerabilities that attackers exploit.”

He suggested that by integrating IoT and OT under the shared responsibility of IT and security departments, enterprises can establish consistency, standardisation, and compliance, making it more challenging for hackers to breach systems.

“While this transition is positive, there is a learning curve involved, and our role is to educate the market on achieving this level of standardisation,” continued Scheurmann.

Factors driving a convergence of oversight

A report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in the USA noted that hackers targeted government, military, and civilian networks across the Asia Pacific leveraging malware to obtain confidential information. The malware targeted both the data on victim machines as well as audio captured by infected machines’ microphones.

Scheurmann says securing critical infrastructure, like airports and telecommunications, at the national level is paramount to safeguard citizens in countries like the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand.

He pointed out that protecting these vital assets is essential to prevent catastrophic disruptions and ensure public safety.

“The supply chain is another critical aspect, with many organisations reliant on interconnected third-party systems. Disrupting the supply chain can affect the delivery of goods and services, impacting everyone,” he added.

He explained that legacy systems pose unique challenges; identifying and managing them is a fundamental step in cybersecurity. “Without visibility, it's impossible to secure these systems effectively. Addressing these issues is complex but essential for comprehensive security,” he elaborated.

Protecting an expanding attack surface

The pandemic has accelerated organisations’ use of connectivity solutions. As enterprises start to connect IoT devices, sensors and instrumentations into the corporate network to acquire real-time visibility of assets or processes may have had the unintended consequence of exposing an organisation to threats previously not thought of by both security and IT teams.

“5G technology presents an incredible opportunity for organisations to scale services dramatically, impacting various sectors such as manufacturing and healthcare. It enables real-time decision-making on production lines and allows doctors to provide remote guidance in critical medical situations,” said Scheurmann.

He pointed out that the challenge lies in the speed at which data is transferred and shared – a breach could result in data being disseminated and compromised within seconds.

“Moreover, the connectivity of critical infrastructure through 5G raises concerns about potential attacks disrupting vital services like transportation and financial markets,” he posited. Despite these risks, he opined, the focus should be on harnessing 5G's benefits through education, preparation, and expert support, ensuring responsible and transformative use.

Expanding the protection envelope

Asked what steps should organisations then take to mitigate cybersecurity risk related to operational technology and IoT? And, more importantly, who should get involved?

Scheurmann believes that bringing OT and IoT devices into the realm of security and business units offers an opportunity to establish standards, governance, and policies. He added that this includes clear procedures, ongoing training and awareness, and a risk mitigation framework to anticipate and respond to incidents effectively.

He explained that visibility and tracking become crucial as more devices connect, ensuring a swift response to potential attacks. Resilience plays a critical role, ensuring systems can recover swiftly in the event of an attack.

“Delays in system restoration can have a significant impact, such as prolonged ATM network outages affecting everyday transactions for millions of people, emphasising the importance of quick recovery in a robust governance framework,” warned Scheurmann.

Predictions and advice for 2024

Recognising that Asia will continue to experience a shortage in skills and expertise, particularly in the areas of cybersecurity, Scheurmann believes that automation is pivotal for IT departments. He explains that automation ensures consistency in compliance, policy enforcement, and standardisation, allowing IT teams to focus on higher-priority tasks.

“For IT leadership, rationalising and consolidating the security stack is essential, given the proliferation of disparate products in response to recent challenges like COVID-19. Streamlining security measures simplifies administration and enhances effectiveness.

“Beyond IT, cybersecurity discussions must become a central boardroom topic, with every organisation recognizing the risk of potential cyberattacks. Leaders should prioritise cybersecurity strategy, investment, and integration into their overall business framework for successful digitisation,” concluded Scheurmann.

Click on the PodChat player to hear in detail Scheurmann’s take on how enterprises in Asia can mitigate OT and IoT cyber risks.

1. What is the impact of unmonitored and unsecured IoT devices on a system’s cybersecurity, and why is it one of the biggest cybersecurity challenges across ASEAN?
2. Why do the majority of ASEAN organisations (82%) see value in having a common team that looks after IT and OT infrastructure and systems? Is this a good thing or a bad thing?
3. What factors are driving organisations’ focus on securing IoT/OT in their future cybersecurity strategies?
4. What are the specific cybersecurity concerns related to 5G-connected IoT devices, and how do organisations plan to address them?
5. What steps should organisations take to mitigate cybersecurity risks related to OT? Who should get involved?
6. Coming into 2024, more devices and sensors will be added to the enterprises. What is your advice for operations, IT and leadership to improve the overall organisational security posture?

The post PodChats for FutureIoT: Mitigating OT and IoT cyber risks appeared first on FutureIoT.

The partnership aims to transform the cleaning industry, especially in the face of the current tight labour shortage post-pandemic as companies look to use manual labour less and make smarter decisions about how, where and when to deploy machines.

Through this cooperation, SBRSG and Conrad Maintenance aim to transform the cleaning business by integrating and scaling with robotic solutions. SBRSG will be able to accelerate the growth and adoption of "Cleaning Digital Transformation" through Conrad Maintenance and provide high-quality and low-cost cleaning with substantial cost savings.

Raymond Ng, founder and chief executive officer at Conrad Maintenance, says its partnership with SBRSG allows for the enhancement of world-class cleaning services that will seamlessly integrate all Conrad’s offerings into one user-friendly system making it easier than ever for the company to manage its cleaning and facility maintenance solutions.

Advanced cleaning services utilising robots have been proven to significantly reduce costs and improve cleanliness, allowing employees to gain new technical skills and work with new technologies. Conrad Maintenance will leverage SBR’s knowledge and experiences accumulated in a smart facilities management service.　

Coinciding with SBRSG’s investment in Conrad Maintenance is the launch in Singapore of SmartBXTM (Smart Business Transformation) – a facilities management service which Kenichi Yoshida, chief business officer at SoftBank Robotics says brings unparalleled automation, convenience and robotics solutions to their customers.

“This move signals the true transformation of SoftBank Robotics to a Robot Integrator and a robotics services provider in the cleaning space while delivering the seamless integration of robotics, AI and sensors on top of cleaning efficiency and efficacy,” he added.

The post Softbank Robotics enters Singapore’s facilities management market appeared first on FutureIoT.

The use cases for accurate timing have been around for decades. Timing is what enables communication systems to work, time is essential for global navigation systems to function, and timing is what makes automation possible.

SiTime is a precision timing company supplying industries with oscillators – devices that generate oscillatory currents or voltages by non-mechanical means. Quartz crystals have been used in timekeeping technology including clocks, watches, computers, and other devices that keep time.

On 19 September 2023, SiTime announced the SiTime Epoch Platform – designed to solve the most complex timing issues in electronics and claiming to disrupt 100-year-old quartz-based technology.

The SiTime Epoch Platform is a micro-electromechanical system-based, oven-controlled oscillator that delivers an ultra-stable clock to the data centre and network infrastructure equipment. SiTime claims that over time the Epoch technology will be extended to other high-growth electronics markets, such as aerospace and defence, and industrial controls among others.

FutureIoT spoke to Piyush Sevalia, executive vice president of marketing at SiTime, to discuss precision timing and its significance across a wide expanse of use cases.

What follows is a discussion on the significance of SiTime’s Epoch announcement, and how it changes things when it comes to precision timing.

"Timing is the heartbeat of electronics pretty much any electronic device will require timing. We are now in the era of intelligent connected devices, every electronic device that you use now is likely connected and likely can make decisions on their own, to some kind of intelligence on the device."

Piyush Sevalia

The post PodChats for FutureIoT: Precision-timing in the intelligent economy appeared first on FutureIoT.

To overcome this challenge, German steel manufacturer, thyssenkrupp Steel selected Samotics’ SAM4 Health solution to monitor its hot rolling mill at its Duisburg plant in Germany—Europe’s biggest steelmaking site.

SAM4 Health delivers continuous insight into the health and performance of the rolling mill. This empowers maintenance teams to take proactive measures against developing faults and prevent unexpected breakdowns.

Continuous monitoring also enables teams to detect and address root causes that might lead to future degradation, leading to extended equipment lifetime and better performance. This way equipment runs more efficiently and saves energy.

Samotics’ SAM4 technology achieves this by using a technique called electrical signature analysis (ESA). ESA analyses current and voltage data of electric-driven motor systems using sensors installed in the motor control cabinet, rather than on the asset itself. This enables continuous monitoring of assets operating in extreme temperatures, hard-to-reach places and ATEX zones.

Christian Weiß, lead engineer HTM1 at thyssenkrupp Steel said: “Industrial analytics underpin our mission to improve delivery performance and reduce energy waste. The capability of Samotics’ SAM4 system to operate effectively in extreme environments made it the obvious choice to help increase the reliability and efficiency of our hot rolling mills. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with Samotics and continuing to improve our service to our clients”.

Commenting on thyssenkrupp’s commitment to the digitalization and automation of the steelmaking process promises environmental, safety and commercial benefits, Samotics’ founder

Simon Jagers, says Samotics's technology helps thyssenkrupp Steel address a fundamental challenge by identifying and resolving developing faults before they happen.

"With accurate health and performance data, maintenance teams can schedule maintenance at their convenience rather than reacting to an unforeseen fault. We’re delighted to join them on the journey toward creating a smarter, safer and more sustainable future for steel production."

Simon Jagers

The post thyssenkrupp pre-empts disruption at its hot rolling mill appeared first on FutureIoT.

Keysight Technologies says its hardware-accelerated Infiniium MXR B-Series offers automated analysis tools that enable engineers to find anomalies quickly and shorten the time to market.

The MXR B-Series meets these needs by giving engineers built-in, automated debug tools such as zone triggering, fault detection, real-time spectrum analysis (RTSA), and a 50 MHz waveform generator.

The MXR B-Series also features eight instruments in a single comprehensive, benchtop solution that conserves both bench space and budget. All features of the MXR B are upgradeable, allowing engineers to add capabilities as requirements change.

Benefits

Reduces test time with hardware-accelerated, automated analysis – Saves troubleshooting time by automating fault detection, design compliance testing, power integrity analysis, protocol decoding of more than 50 serial protocols, mask testing on all channels simultaneously, and more.

Displays the truest signal representation – Provides the maximum resolution possible with an industry-low noise floor, industry-high effective number of bits (ENOB), and exceptionally low system jitter that ensures accurate visualisations and confident measurements.

Empowers robust design development with uncompromised performance – Captures important events in the signal with an uncompromised update rate of greater than 200,000 waveforms per second (wfms/s), a fast sample rate of 16 Giga samples per second (GSa/s), and bandwidth up to 6 GHz that does not decrease with channel usage. Competitive scopes in normal mode can only reach update rates of greater than 200 wfms/s while maximum bandwidth and sample rates are limited to a subset number of channels.

Robert Saponas, vice president for Keysight Digital Photonics Centre of Excellence, said: "The MXR B-Series leverages the same hardware acceleration ASIC as Keysight's 110 GHz Infiniium UXR B-Series oscilloscopes to accelerate analysis, eye diagrams, and triggering with the excellent signal integrity you've come to expect from Keysight. Engineers designing complex systems can now get from symptom to root cause in a matter of minutes instead of hours."

The post Keysight ups the ante in oscilloscope performance appeared first on FutureIoT.

From idling times to fuel economy comparisons, vehicle usage, cost savings, and beyond, Project G aims to deliver comprehensive, digestible information with ease.

By harnessing the power of natural language models, Project G reduces the time to insight for customers and transforms the process of analysing fleet data into a simple and intuitive experience. Project G is built on privacy-by-design principles and keeps all customer telematics data within Geotab’s environment, never shared with any Large Language Model (LLM).

In explaining the application of generative AI in the connected transportation landscape, Mike Branch, vice president of data & analytics at Geotab says the company's experience presents it with a unique opportunity to analyse vast amounts of fleet data, identify patterns, and generate invaluable recommendations to optimise operational efficiency and performance.

For his part, David Brown, assistant VP for APAC at Geotab says Project G opens doors to actionable insights, leveraging Generative AI to enhance vehicle performance, operational efficiency, and sustainability, ultimately shaping the future of connected transportation in SEA.

Over the past year, Generative AI has become a significant area of focus and organisations worldwide are exploring its potential to drive customer and performance business efficiencies. According to Statista, the value of Generative AI is expected to show an annual growth rate (CAGR 2023-2030) of 27.33%, resulting in a market volume of US$8bn by 2030 in SEA.

The region has also seen an extraordinary boost in AI adoption in 2023 with 76% of businesses now using AI in 2023 in a study done by IDC.

“The beta project is an exciting collaboration with select customers. We are able to align real-world requirements and challenges with data science expertise to learn, adapt and evolve capabilities. The possibilities are limitless, and we're committed to delivering cutting-edge solutions that make data easily accessible for our customers."

Mike Branch

The post GenAI to provide insights on vehicle performance, efficiency, and sustainability appeared first on FutureIoT.

“Energy, critical manufacturing, water treatment and nuclear facilities are among the types of critical infrastructure industries under attack in the majority of reported incidents,” said Mark Cristiano, commercial director of global cybersecurity services at Rockwell Automation.

He added that anticipating that stricter regulations and standards for reporting cybersecurity attacks will become commonplace, the market can expect to gain invaluable insights regarding the nature and severity of attacks and the defences necessary to prevent them in the future.

Key findings

OT/ICS cybersecurity incidents in the last three years have already exceeded the total number reported between 1991-2000.

Threat actors are most intensely focused on the energy sector (39% of attacks) – over three times more than the next most frequently attacked verticals, critical manufacturing (11%) and transportation (10%).

Phishing remains the most popular attack technique (34%), underscoring the importance of cybersecurity tactics such as segmentation, air gapping, Zero Trust and security awareness training to mitigate risks.

In more than half of OT/ICS incidents, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems are targeted (53%), with Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) as the next most common target (22%).

More than 80% of threat actors come from outside organisations, yet insiders play an unintentional role in opening the door for threat actors in approximately one-third of incidents. 

In the OT/ICS incidents studied, 60% resulted in operational disruption and 40% resulted in unauthorized access or data exposure. However, the damage of cyberattacks extends beyond the impacted enterprise, as broader supply chains were also impacted 65% of the time.

The research indicates strengthening the security of IT systems is crucial to combatting cyberattacks on critical infrastructure and manufacturing facilities. More than 80% of the OT/ICS incidents analyzed started with an IT system compromise, attributed to increasing interconnectivity across IT and OT systems and applications.

The IT network enables communication between OT networks and the outside world and acts as an entryway for OT threat actors. Deploying proper network architecture is critical to strengthening an organisation’s cybersecurity defences.

It is no longer enough to simply implement a firewall between IT and OT environments. Because networks and devices are connected daily into OT/ICS environments, this exposes equipment in most industrial environments to sophisticated adversaries.

Having a strong, modern OT/ICS security program must be a part of every industrial organisation’s responsibility to maintain safe, secure operations and availability.

“The dramatic spike in OT and ICS cybersecurity incidents calls for organisations to take immediate action to improve their cybersecurity posture or they risk becoming the next victim of a breach," said Sid Snitkin, vice president of cybersecurity advisory services, ARC Advisory Group.

He added that the threat landscape for industrial organisations is constantly evolving, and the cost of a breach can be devastating to organisations and critical infrastructure. "The report’s findings underscore the urgent need for organisations to implement more sophisticated cybersecurity strategies," he concluded.

The post Urgent need for proactive OT defences and incident response appeared first on FutureIoT.

Against this backdrop, GlobalData forecasts the Asia-Pacific (APAC) automotive sensors market to register a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 1.7% over 2023-28.

GlobalData’s “Global Sector Overview & Forecast – Sensors” estimates the APAC automotive sensors market to reach 7.6 billion units in 2023 and 8.3 billion units in 2028.

The key proponents of sensors are parking assistance, interior technologies, gasoline direct injection (GDI), anti-lock braking system (ABS) adaptive cruise control (ACC), electronic stability control (ESC), crash, safety and body control, powertrain, and emission control. Both advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS) and global positioning systems (GPS) also require sensors.

Lucy Tripathi, senior automotive analyst at GlobalData, says the intelligent sensors are being used to control and process coolant levels, temperature, and oil pressure in vehicles.

"Increased electronic market competitiveness, ongoing device improvements, and increased automation in the automotive sector via electronic devices are anticipated to drive the automotive sensors market.”

Lucy Tripathi

Regional trends and opportunities

The APAC region, particularly China, is making a substantial contribution to the expansion of the global automotive sensors industry. China is also home to some of the biggest automakers in the world, which is expected to advance its automotive sensors market in the upcoming years.

Tripathi says China is expected to dominate the APAC automotive sensors market in the coming years. She cites lane departure warning, parking assistance, ACC, blind spot recognition, and forward collision warning as significantly boosting market growth.

"Due to their low cost, China has been able to deploy advanced sensors and semiconductors at an even faster rate than other countries in the region,” she added.

Safety & body control and powertrain & emission control sensors are expected to garner the largest share among all the sensors, primarily owing to the increased focus on driver assistance systems and fuel efficiency.

For example, Cipia’s driver monitoring system (DMS) employs computer vision and artificial intelligence (AI) to track the driver for signs of inattentiveness and fatigue while they are behind the wheel, making roads safer.

To watch out for potentially dangerous situations, the organisation monitors crucial indications, including gaze direction, blink rate, and eye openness. Additionally, it has the ability to detect smoking, precisely monitor the driver while a face mask is worn and ensure that seat belts are worn.

Tripathi comments that car buyers in APAC are increasingly interested in high-tech features like ACC, parking assistance, and accident avoidance.

"The rising use of automotive sensors is supported by large-scale production facilities and adherence to international quality standards, which is encouraging market expansion,” she concluded.

The post Opportunities in APAC's sensor tech for the auto industry appeared first on FutureIoT.

The AWK-4252A can operate concurrently on both the 2.4 and 5 GHz dual-band Turbo Roaming with an average handover time under 150 ms and is backwards-compatible with existing 802.11a/b/g/n deployments to future-proof wireless investments.

Reliability is top-of-mind for every industrial network application. Moxa designed the AWK-4252A to comply with the most demanding industrial standards and approvals covering operating temperature, power input voltage, surge, ESD, and vibration.

Its IP68-rated weatherproof metal housing withstands the rigours of harsh outdoor environments from -40° to 75° C, while its enhanced antenna port isolation protects against up to 30 kV ESD and 6 kV surges. Two redundant DC power inputs increase the reliability of the power supply.

Moxa considers security an integral part of network reliability. Based on the principle of secure-by-design, the AWK-4252A is certified for IEC 62443-4-2 by the IECEE.

Compliance with this standard not only ensures device-level security for industrial automation and control systems (IACS), but also verifies that these devices are suitable for building an IEC 62443-3-3 compliant security environment, resulting in lower development risk, time, and cost. It also supports the latest WPA3 encryption for an additional layer of WLAN security.

The AWK-4252A can be powered via PoE to facilitate flexible, cost-effective deployments. Network Address Translation (1-to-n NAT) optimises the machine integration flow by simplifying IP address assignment while avoiding IP conflicts between existing devices connecting to the OT network wirelessly.

The post Moxa aims to solve the reliability needs of industrial network application appeared first on FutureIoT.

These advancements promise a more secure and robust infrastructure, positioning the sector on the cusp of the fourth industrial revolution.

GlobalData’s FutureTech Series report, “Transformer in Utilities 2.0 – How Tech is Driving the Sector Innovation”, highlights more than 30 disruptive forces in power and utilities as emerging, accelerating, and maturing innovation areas based on their rate of growth in innovation.

Kiran Raj, the practice head of disruptive tech at GlobalData, says the emergence of digital twins has revolutionized transformer asset operations by offering insights, paving the way for real-time monitoring and proactive maintenance.

He added that by harnessing AI and machine learning, extensive data can be analysed to anticipate potential system disruptions, ensure consistent energy output, and extend equipment longevity.

Vaibhav Gundre, a project manager for disruptive tech at GlobalData, adds that the transformer asset landscape is being redefined through the surge in patents and innovative breakthroughs, which are accelerating technological advancement and fostering knowledge proliferation.

He further posits that these advancements highlight a significant shift from reactive strategies to predictive solutions, reflecting the dedication to not only address current grid necessities but also anticipate upcoming challenges.

5G makes its mark

5G technology is reshaping the transformer sector with real-time monitoring and swift data transmission. In February 2022, Jiangxi Mingzheng patented a 5G-enabled transformer safety system for remote fault detection, comprising a base, radiator unit, rotating top, and two infrared cameras attached to a ring.

Advancements in AI are streamlining the diagnostics of the transformer sector. In January 2022, Onepredict filed a patent for an AI-driven method to predict transformer states. The process considers transformer data, assesses if the oil has been filtered, and utilises different prediction models accordingly to determine the transformer’s condition.

Robotics is modernising transformer maintenance and inspection. In December 2021, Hitachi Energy patented a submersible robot to inspect liquid-cooled transformers. Using cameras, it captures and wirelessly transmits internal images to a base station for analysis.

“The fusion of 5G with the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) highlights the power sector’s commitment to uninterrupted connectivity, laying the groundwork for remote operational capabilities and insights-driven decision processes."

Vaibhav Gundre

"Concurrently, the incorporation of robotics and drones is reshaping how inspections are approached, enhancing safety, speed, and depth of evaluations. This technological synergy holds the potential for significant advancement in both efficiency and safety benchmarks within the sector,” he concluded.

The post Power sector enters industrial revolution 4.0 appeared first on FutureIoT.

Under its ‘emerging technology testbed’ initiative, the City of Melbourne worked with Nokia to leverage an existing network of installed cameras as Internet of Things (IoT) sensors to monitor one of the compactors.

The Nokia Scene Analytics solution employs an AI-powered algorithm to filter and collate data from the cameras, while also combining other data sources, such as operational data on the compactor itself, to create real-time alerts and produce reports.

Initial tests show

Initial trial results demonstrate that Scene Analytics can support the City’s objectives for better, safer citizen experiences while simultaneously lowering maintenance and downtime costs for waste management services.

Lord Mayor Sally Capp, City of Melbourne, says the solution is a great example of using new technology to help remove illegal waste more quickly, make our city cleaner and protect the environment.

"This innovative project will help to avoid hazards and make our streets even cleaner by allowing our waste services to better understand behaviour trends related to the illegal and dangerous dumping of waste,” she continued. 

How the technology works

The trial allowed for real-time monitoring and detection of activity in the vicinity of the compactor using a virtual tripwire. Object detection and object counting was used to identify and count items to show how the compactor was impacted by items incorrectly placed within it, while also identifying potentially dangerous items.

Anomaly detection identified unusual movements, such as illegal waste dumping during the night, while face and license plate blurring maintained individual privacy during the trial.

Using these reports, the City of Melbourne can better understand the correlation between illegal waste-dumping activities and compactor downtime, to keep maintenance teams better informed and minimize issues.

It also allows them to swiftly address waste dumping activities before they become a hazard, viewing locations in real-time to observe any obstructions to service vehicle access, and adapting their schedule to reduce unnecessary visits and minimize their carbon footprint.

By understanding patterns of compactor usage and waste dumping activities, the city of Melbourne is also able to patrol the area more effectively, while developing an ongoing campaign to better inform and educate the community.

The post Melbourne to use AI to keep city streets safe and clean appeared first on FutureIoT.

“The video surveillance market is experiencing a transformation as more cloud video surveillance systems emerge, diversifying a market that capital expenditure costs have historically dominated,” says Lizzie Stokes, IoT networks & services analyst at ABI Research.

“Enterprise companies, lines of business, and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are looking to take advantage of surveillance insights and are searching for new storage and analytics service models to ease implementation, drive faster time to market, lower costs, and improve ROI.”

Lizzie Stokes

According to ABI Research, high upfront on-premises installation and integration costs traditionally drove video surveillance market service revenue. Professional services revenue dominated the market, facilitated by System Integrators (SIs) who often design and install customers’ surveillance systems.

Market trends

However, two prominent market trends have led video surveillance users to divert investments away from new camera deployments to cloud data services.

Stokes explains that as video resolutions have improved, data loads have become heavier and more costly to store. At the same time, regulation is driving more firms to save their video footage.

Stokes says these market dynamics have created a demand for scalable and cost-effective cloud data storage solutions.

The other trend she observes has to do with video surveillance users increasingly viewing video data as untapped business intelligence.

"Video surveillance cameras are already tracking employee behaviour, observing customer actions, and monitoring goods as they journey through the supply chain and the factory floor. Many video surveillance users—enterprises and SMEs—are searching for streamlined cloud video analytics services to mine raw video data for operational insights,” she adds.

Video Surveillance-as-a-Service (VSaaS) companies are responding to these market trends, offering cloud data storage, cloud video analytics, and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) applications that produce vertical-specific insights.

New customer demand will eventually diversify the market’s revenue structures, with more customers paying for video surveillance services through recurring fees. Traditional video surveillance companies providing on-premises and cloud offerings include Honeywell, Milestone Systems, and Bosch. Newer companies featuring cloud video surveillance services include Verkada, Eagle Eye Networks, and Wasabi Technologies.

“VSaaS vendors are redefining how video surveillance can be offered and deployed,” Stokes concludes. “As video analytics applications expand and video data in the market explodes, new video surveillance companies have the opportunity to disrupt the market’s traditional revenue structure.”

Early stages

Sunny Chua, Wasabi Technologies' general manager for Singapore, acknowledges that the transition to the cloud for video surveillance is still in the early stages but certainly picking up speed. He points to the 5G deployment across the region as facilitating the use of intelligent video surveillance devices as well as advanced analytics at the edge.

"The ability for these smart cameras to relay information back in real-time is contributing to innovative use cases in digitally advanced markets like Singapore, such as live footage used complementarily with 3D mapping technology to provide live insights on crowd management and weapon detection via virtual patrols," he elaborated.

Another area where he sees an opportunity for VSaaS is smart cities where spending in the region is expected to more than double between 2023 and 2028 to reach US$42 billion.

"Intelligent video surveillance is an especially important part of the puzzle in smart city development - enabling everything from smart traffic management to furthering sustainability ambitions by providing predictive insights on facilities utilisation in buildings," added Chua.

He believes these ongoing digital developments will ultimately drive workflow modernisation and transformation. "This makes Asia a ripe ground for VSaaS providers that can offer domain-specific services for the deep and reliable automation that a digital era demands while expediting the transition and minimising risks," he concluded.

The post Surveillance driving demand for storage solutions appeared first on FutureIoT.

Determinants that contributed to the market growth include electrification and hybridization of vehicles, collaborations, and partnerships among market players, followed by increasing disposable income of consumers leading to automobile demand.

APAC to dominate the market growth of the Automotive Sensors Market: When it comes to the fastest growing region APAC is going to dominate the global market with a contribution of 33% to the growth of the global market during the forecast period. The region's growth is driven by industrialization followed by significant investments in road infrastructure development, driving the automotive market's expansion.

According to Technavio analysts, APAC consumers are increasingly seeking advanced features like parking assistance, adaptive cruise control, and collision avoidance, relying on sensors for the proper functioning of automobiles.

When it comes to the region-wise classification Japan and South Korea, with automakers like Suzuki and Toyota, play a significant role in the automotive industry. Large-scale production facilities and adherence to global quality standards contribute to the increased usage of automotive sensors, fostering market growth during the forecast period. Our report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current global market scenario, the latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment.

Key Companies: Some of the market leaders in these segments include names like Amphenol, Aptiv, Auto DITEX BG, Dorman Products, EFI (formerly Electricfil), Faurecia, Hitachi, Mitsubishi Electric, Niterra, NXP Semiconductors, PRENCO Progress and Engineering, Robert Bosch Stiftung, Schaeffler, Sensata Technologies, Spectra Premium Industries, TDK, Tenneco, Texas Instruments, etc.

The post APAC to dominate automotive sensors market appeared first on FutureIoT.

Ghirardelli Square is largely considered to be the first successful real estate adaptive reuse project in the US. With its more than 100-year history, this specialty retail and dining complex today houses shops and restaurants. It was originally a chocolate factory established by Italian immigrant Domenico “Domingo” Ghirardelli.

“Water detection systems for commercial and multifamily properties must be affordable, require minimal maintenance, and consume little energy to provide a good return on investment and environmental benefits."

Dean Fung-A-Wing, chief executive officer and founder, Kairos Water

Kairos Water specialises in operational risk management solutions for commercial and residential properties. For the project, the company’s leak detection strip sensors and gateways based on Semtech’s LoRa technology operate on a LoRaWAN network and connect to the cloud to enable real-time monitoring.

If any water leaks are detected, these LoRa-enabled sensors send an instantaneous alert to facilities management so that any potential damage to the property can be greatly reduced or eliminated with quick action.

Previously, rainfall led to water intrusion into one of the main switchgear rooms at Ghirardelli Square, resulting in temporary interruptions for the building and neighboring businesses. With the application of Noah Multifunction Leak Sensors, based on LoRa technology and running on a LoRaWAN network, the site team addressed this challenge comprehensively. The patented asset protection system detected multiple leaks within the first month itself, successfully preventing substantial damage.

“With Semtech’s LoRa technology, our discrete Kairos sensor solutions significantly impact even the most challenging real estate assets. Our sensors install in seconds while providing data, coverage, and protection for up to 10 years,” said Fung-A-Wing.

Non-intrusive facility management systems

Integrating state-of-the-art leak protection systems without disrupting the tenant and customer experience, or critical infrastructure, is a typical challenge that acquirers and restoration teams encounter across the United States.

“Having built a real estate home service business and witnessed the aftermath of over 3,000 water damage incidents made me realise the size of this problem that plagues about 14,000 homes a day in the US,” said Fung-A-Wing.

Putting modern, non-intrusive facility management systems at the heart of all risk mitigation efforts is critical to preserving these iconic assets.

“The United States spends upwards of one billion dollars annually on restoration projects, promoting economic, environmental, and educational benefits for businesses and consumers,” said Tom Mueller, executive vice president and general manager, IoT System Products Group at Semtech.

“As we modernise and preserve more historical locations, we must use minimally invasive, low-power and long-range risk mitigation solutions that do not disrupt the cultural experience."

Tom Mueller, Semtech

"From water leaks to smoke detection, to air quality, to power management, and more, LoRa is the answer. And, in the case of Ghirardelli Square, who doesn’t like a wonderful piece of chocolate?” Mueller said.

Semtech’s LoRa technology continues to be the de facto LPWAN wireless platform of IoT devices with more than 300 million LoRa end nodes deployed across the globe. Semtech's LoRa chipsets connect sensors to the cloud and enable real-time communication of data and analytics. This prompt management helps to enhance the efficiency and productivity of sustainable IoT use cases such as agriculture, industrial, transportation, and more.

The post Water leak sensors deployed at Ghirardelli Square appeared first on FutureIoT.

China's domestic brands are leading the market in the development and implementation of advanced assisted driving systems, capitalising on their early-entry advantages in the electric and intelligent vehicle sector.

These brands have an edge over other joint ventures in the planning and execution of smart assisted driving systems. Notably, the new emerging brands in automobile manufacturing hold a significant lead in the roll-out of high-level assisted driving systems.

Among the top 10 brands selling vehicles equipped with L2+ assisted driving, nine are domestic, representing 93.6% of the total L2+ installations. Among these, new emerging brands account for 70.6% of the total market.

As the technical roadmap for achieving L2+ assisted driving functions becomes clearer, Canalys expects most domestic brands with L2+ to increasingly capture the CNY150,000 (US$20,925) market.

There are five main autonomous driving SoC supply chain players：

Startups: Horizon, Black Sesame, Mobileye, Core Intelligence, Post-Mo Intelligence

Domestic consumer electronics chipset provider: Huawei

Overseas consumer electronics chipset providers: Nvidia, Qualcomm

Traditional automotive chip suppliers: Texas Instruments, Sari Self-developed

Automakers: Tesla, Leap Motor (owned by Dahua)

On the supply chain side in the market of electric vehicles equipped with standard L2+ assisted driving functions in Mainland China, Nvidia led the pack with a 44.2% market share, followed by Horizon with 15.1% in Q1 2023.

Nvidia has taken the lead in high-computing-power fields, capturing the high-end market in line with the “dumbbell” structure of the Chinese market, characterised by the dominance of both high-end and entry-level models.

Meanwhile, Chinese chip startups are differentiating themselves through their open collaboration models and are expected to further increase their market share.

The Chinese chip startups, while continually improving the computing power of their chips (with Horizon Journey 5 reaching 128 TOPS and Black Sesame A1000 Pro reaching 106 TOPS), have differentiated themselves from other models followed by Qualcomm, Nvidia as chip and solution providers, and Mobileye as a full-stack solution provider.

Instead, these startups participate in a more open collaboration style that involves vehicle manufacturers in product and platform development. This helps car manufacturers in personalising development, meeting the diverse needs of a “thousand vehicles, thousand faces” model, thereby continuously expanding to secure orders from vehicle manufacturers.

With further penetration of proprietary products into the mainstream market, these brands anticipate an increase in their market share.

The post Advanced driving systems rise in popularity in China appeared first on FutureIoT.

The analyst attributes continued spending on IoT to come from rising demand for remote operations, supply chain efficiency, deployment of commercial 5G, and increasing digital footprint are driving IoT adoption in the region. IoT investments are expected to reach US$435 billion in 2027, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.7% between 2023 and 2027.

"IoT connectivity technology both fixed and wireless continues to improve and play an increasingly important role in IoT adoption," says Bill Rojas, adjunct research director for IDC Asia/Pacific.

He goes on to add that power-saving IoT devices built with 5G enhanced Machine Type Communications technologies such as 5G Reduced Capacity (RedCap) will start to be introduced into the market to gradually replace LTE Cat 3/4 devices.

He posits that the result will be more video-enabled endpoints and advanced analytics. 5G Non-Terrestrial Network satellite connectivity is expected to be introduced to the market during the forecast period further extending the reach of IoT to remote areas. 

Industry use cases

“Use cases include disaster recovery and response, oil & gas, mining and resources monitoring. 5G-enabled mobile private networks in manufacturing, transportation and utilities will take advantage of mid-band and mmWave IoT device connectivity enabling 4K video cameras and ultra-low latency for automated mobile robots.

Fibre-connected smart sensors for many applications including monitoring of bridges and highways, and control of smart elevators, traffic lights, and streetlights are starting to gain traction and be combined with wireless technologies to provide robust scalable solutions", he added.

Discrete and process manufacturing will see the largest investment in IoT solutions in 2023 and throughout the forecast period, accounting for more than one-third of all IoT spending in the region. State/local government and professional services are the following largest industries in terms of IoT spending.

Use cases beyond industry and into processes

The potential to improve the quality, efficacy, and customer experience of their products and services is what motivates these organisations to invest in IoT. State/local government and telecommunications will deliver the fastest spending growth over the five-year forecast with CAGRs of 15.1% and 14% respectively.

IoT use cases that see the highest spending in 2023 are manufacturing operations, production asset management, supply chain resilience, inventory intelligence and public safety and emergency response which follow similar growth patterns as the host industries.

Together these use cases will make more than one-third of the overall IoT spending in the region. The use cases that will experience the fastest spending growth represent the diverse application of IoT technologies – electric vehicle charging, next-generation loss prevention and agriculture field monitoring.

“Organisations are more focused on data-driven operations to address specific business goals and customer challenges, and investing in the IoT ecosystem is crucial. The majority of the enterprises indicated in an IDC survey that they are collecting or plan to collect biometric, video, and transactional data to achieve the above goals”, says Sharad Kotagi, market analyst at IDC IT Spending Guides, Customer Insights & Analysis.

From a technology perspective, in 2023, the largest portion of spending is expected to remain in the services category, representing roughly 40% of the overall IoT spending in the region. The emphasis on IT/OT convergence, as organisations build cross-functional IoT centres of excellence, has increased their reliance on system integrators and other outsourcing partners.

The hardware market for IoT will be the second-largest technology group in 2023, primarily driven by purchases of modules and sensors. The software will be the fastest-growing technology category with a five-year CAGR of 13% with a focus on application and analytics software purchases. Connectivity spending will grow at 7.6% CAGR during the forecast period and will account for 7.9% of the total spending in 2027.

Country landscape

China (PRC) - continues to hold the largest share, with more than 60% in 2023, followed by South Korea and India. Countries with the fastest IoT spending in 2023 are China, Singapore, and Hong Kong. The advent of smart factories and Industry 4.0, along with government-led IoT programs and policies, has sped up IoT adoption across the Asia Pacific nations.

The post Where IoT spending will go from 2023 to 2027 appeared first on FutureIoT.

While EV charging points in service will grow from 14.2 million in 2023, to 45 million in 2027 globally, the analysis identified a significant gap between public and home charger adoption, with over twice as many home chargers as public chargers being in service by 2027.

The report identified improving shared data on charging point distribution, as well as agreeing on partnerships to accelerate rollouts in key areas as vital to redressing the gap.

New business models needed

The study found that present initiatives from governments are not sufficient to accelerate EV adoption, with new innovation and business models within EV charging needed.

Research co-author Nick Maynard explained: “It is clear that regulator initiatives, such as requiring charging points to be added to new buildings, are insufficient by themselves to roll out charging infrastructure on a wide enough scale to drive environmental benefits."

"EV charging networks must work together with both city authorities and each other to identify how best to plug gaps in charging infrastructure, or EV adoption will continue to be limited.”

Nick Maynard

Fragmentation in charging networks creates confusion

The research found that, despite initiatives such as the opening up of Tesla’s Supercharger network in North America, fragmentation in charging networks is still limiting EV adoption globally. The number of different charging rates, payment systems and access requirements is harming consumer enthusiasm, which is limiting the growth of the overall space. EV charging networks must simplify networks and develop interoperability to make the ownership experience simpler, with regulator action needed to harmonise systems.

The post EV charging points to grow 220% over next 5 years appeared first on FutureIoT.

For this reason, I lean on a combination of quantitative and qualitative insights to build out a use-case heat map by industry. Some of you might be familiar with my last iterations of this; if so, I urge you to look at the latest version that just published. For those of you not familiar, here’s some background.

Enterprise stakeholders have three scenarios at their disposal to incorporate IoT into their business strategy: 1) Designers embed IoT sensors into products; 2) process owners use IoT-enabled assets to improve operations; and 3) business leaders incorporate data from IoT sensors and from their ecosystem to improve operations and offerings.

To help you evaluate IoT use cases relevant to your firm, we’ve developed a set of IoT use-case heat maps spanning many operational processes. You can use these heat maps to help evaluate the applicability of each IoT use case to your firm’s unique strategic business priorities and operational initiatives. Start your firm’s evaluation process by:

• Considering key elements to prioritise relevant IoT use cases for your organisation. Start by assessing the number and value of physical assets and structures (e.g., cars, equipment, machinery, land, buildings) used across your firm. It is also important to evaluate specific use cases that are relevant in your vertical industry or to your firm’s strategic priorities.
  For example, massive government funding and regulatory requirements are spurring companies to make sustainability a strategic imperative. IoT-enabled environmental monitoring solutions can help firms address their sustainability initiatives.
• Assessing broadly applicable horizontal IoT use cases that apply to many vertical markets. Examples of horizontal IoT use cases include facility management to monitor the design, construction, and operation of structures and building systems or energy management to monitor, manage, and report usage of water, electricity, and other energy resources.
  Security and surveillance use cases manage and monitor security and public safety. These horizontal use cases are broadly applicable and deliver incremental value but generally don’t provide a strategic advantage.
• Evaluating functional IoT use cases that create value for many firms. Use cases for specific operational processes boost efficiency and sometimes provide significant value, although they don’t have universal appeal.
  Examples of functional IoT use cases include supply chain management solutions to optimise the supply chain process by tracking materials, forecasting availability, and managing inventory and warehouse processes to ensure that the right products are available for immediate delivery to customers who make online purchases.
  Other functional use cases include predictive maintenance and asset performance management that are particularly relevant in the manufacturing, production, chemical, and oil and gas sectors.

Identifying specialised IoT use cases to address specific situations at a narrow set of firms. The heterogeneity and diversity of the IoT use-case landscape provide enterprise stakeholders in every vertical market with opportunities to differentiate operations, processes, and customer experience. Examples of these specific use cases include remote diagnostics and monitoring of patient status in healthcare, self-optimising production in manufacturing, and cold chain monitoring in perishable pharmaceuticals and consumer products.

First published on Forrester

The post Opportunities for operational excellence with IoT heat maps appeared first on FutureIoT.

The report noted that alongside strong growth in biometric devices, rising in revenue from US$7 billion in 2022, consumer electronics (smartphone, tablet, wearable) biometric capability will markedly increase in future years. Fingerprint sensor revenues will remain at a steady US$1.5 billion annually, with attach rates for face, voice, vein, ECG, and gesture biometrics increasing rapidly.

There are two angles to look at regarding the biometrics market. “First, we have dedicated devices, predominantly in the government and security space, as well as in enterprise, healthcare, and BFSI institutions. These are often specialised by application, for instance, a biometric enrolment kit for citizens’ identities, or eGate systems which use biometric verification to clear those crossing a border,” explains Lucas Stewart, research analyst at ABI Research. “Second, we can look at smartphones and tablets as a vessel for biometric authentication.”

ABI Research notes a strong uptick in the biometric capabilities of said devices, with low-end models increasingly equipped with biometric technologies and the overall smartphone user base seeing growing biometric penetration.

Stuart posits that given convenience and user experience, we see a trend of biometric verification often going through a personal device where possible, that is using your smartphone or other to capture or verify your own biometric data, where apps and web pages increasingly incorporate biometric means of authentication as a password replacement or way to verify oneself.

“Alongside the usability factor, this trend is underpinned by a clear need for mobility. In terms of standalone biometric devices, the need for mobility in these larger scale kits manifests with movement toward more handheld and portable devices,” Stuart continues.

Biometric locks are a key area of opportunity and something we will see more and more of as smart home concepts progress. Regarding other key growth areas, the border control market should also be closely monitored.

Stewart reiterates that there is a significant opportunity here with the need for more efficient and secure international border crossing becoming clear post-COVID as traveller volumes continue to rise.

ABI Research forecasts biometric locks as the most rapidly growing device type within the wider market, rising from 9.3 million shipments in 2022 to 35.5 million in 2027. Similarly exhibiting strong growth are eGates, at 12.8% CAGR from 2022 through 2027. These key figures sit alongside additional detail and granularity for multiple device types, by submarket and biometric modality.

The post ABI Research forecasts strong demand for biometric hardware appeared first on FutureIoT.

IoT development in Europe reflects enterprises' evolving digital transformation investment objectives related to cost reduction, process streamlining, automation, and enhanced customer experience. There are, nevertheless, varying dynamics in regional markets.

Central and Eastern European (CEE) organisations' investments, for example, remain significantly below the European market average, with expected single-digit increases over the forecast period.

In the last three years, many investments were put on hold in CEE, due to the various challenges related to the pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and the overall pressured macro-economic environment.

However, as IoT has proven to be integral to cost reduction, process optimization, automation, and enhanced management and monitoring capabilities, IDC expects investments to accelerate by the end of the forecast period.

From an overall industry perspective, European IoT spending will be driven by investments from manufacturing, utilities, and professional services organisations. Prominent use cases will include production asset management, distribution automation, and infrastructure for smart buildings.

The fastest adoption of IoT will be seen across use cases such as irrigation management in the resources industry and fleet management in transport.

Notable updates in its latest IoT spending guide were made to the use case taxonomy across multiple industries (i.e., discrete manufacturing, process manufacturing, retail, resource industries, transportation, and telecommunications).

Updates to the use case taxonomy reflect enterprises' evolving DX investment objectives, some of which were spurred by the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent business and societal disruptions.

In terms of technology, modules and sensors will continue to drive IoT-related spending.

This was followed by related services such as industrial maintenance to support the ongoing operation of device hardware ("things"), vertical business process outsourcing services, infrastructure as a service, and data as a service.

Low power wide area networks (LPWANs) will see the fastest-growing investments and will be a critical IoT area for telecom providers in the next few years.

Spending on analytics software will also increase, as organisations strive to turn data collected by connection endpoints into actionable insights.

"Due to the uncertain macroeconomic context, European organisations are expected to continue feeling pressure on budgets, with additional investments restrained in the short and medium term," says Alexandra Rotaru, senior research analyst with IDC's European Data & Analytics Team. "However, IoT will remain a critical tool for improving performance and efficiency and increasing automation capabilities. It will continue to be a key investment area, helping organisations to reduce costs and enhance productivity despite challenges."

The post IDC outlines drivers of IoT spending in Europe appeared first on FutureIoT.

The focus of this partnership will be delivering asset health and energy efficiency insights to a broader audience of industrial players. Its initial target industries are oil and gas and water and wastewater sectors in key global markets, including the US and Australia.

Samotics’ SAM4 technology supports global industrial players to monitor the performance and efficiency of critical assets. SAM4 is a proven, scalable solution, already helping over 100 customers on five continents to make data-driven decisions and improve performance.

It solves a significant challenge for industrial organizations, including those in water, steel and chemicals, by enabling the remote capture of high-quality performance and efficiency data for assets in hard-to-reach, submerged and hazardous locations.

According to Peter Mann, a director at Partners in Performance, the partnership will allow it to help its global clients improve asset performance while accelerating their energy transitions since they have a safe and effective way of identifying energy-inefficient equipment.

"With their (Samotics) machine learning algorithms in our arsenal, we can help increase operational efficiency, reduce maintenance costs, all the while creating safer working environments for people by identifying potential issues before they can become a hazard,” he continued. 

This makes it an attractive offering for Partners in Performance industrial client base, who are looking for an end-to-end solution to support their digital transformation and energy transition efforts.

Jasper Hoogeweegen, CEO at Samotics said: “Our SAM4 technology is already delivering significant value to industries, helping to identify developing faults and meet carbon reduction goals. With our joint commitment to solving reliability and energy efficiency challenges, Partners in Performance is a great partner to help scale global adoption of our proven technology and bring these benefits to more organizations around the world.”

Two unique solutions from SAM4

SAM4 Health analyses current and voltage signals of electric-driven equipment such as motors and pumps to detect electrical and mechanical faults.

Using electrical signature analysis (ESA) and machine learning, SAM4 Health offers superior fault detection accuracy, detecting over 90% of failures up to five months in advance.

Used to continuously monitor industrial equipment efficiency, SAM4 Energy provides detailed performance and efficiency insights to identify where energy consumption, cost and efficiency losses are largest and implement data-driven recommendations.

The post Partnership to tackle industrial DX and energy transition efforts appeared first on FutureIoT.

CISA identifies 16 critical infrastructure sectors including chemical, commercial facilities, communications, critical manufacturing, dams, defence industrial base, emergency services, energy, financial services, food & agriculture, government facilities, healthcare and public health, information technology, nuclear reactors, transportation systems, and water and wastewater systems.

Friedhelm Best, vice president for APAC at HIMA, noted that within the industries the company operates in, every operator has an operation which has risk involved. "Within the oil & gas industry, the mining and processing of raw materials involves risks. A rail operator, who has an infrastructure for rail, with rolling stock, with rail track, there is some risk associated with that," he pointed out.

According to Best, the objective is to maintain risk at levels that are tolerable for people, assets and the environment. "Functional safety is specifically that part of risk management – beyond all of the mechanical and operational measures – can be achieved by an electrical or electronic system, is called safety integrated systems," he further elaborated.

He acknowledged that critical infrastructure typically involves significant investments carried out over decades. "These complex investments are not replaced as and when new technologies become available.

"Rather, changes have to wait for the next phase of modernisation, or when there is a test run of new technology. That’s why it seems like there is a lot of old technology," he continued.

He also noted that in some cases, changes only happen following regulators' call for system management evidence or data to bring.

Impact of COVID on critical infrastructure

Best recalls that historically safety-related automation was often performed onsite, meaning the operator or the manufacturer of the equipment has to send an engineer on site.

"However, with travel restrictions and health regulations during COVID, remote access was allowed in a secure way as there was a need for that to happen. Now this option will stay because they are more used to working with remote access," observed Best.

Responding to market forces

The world remains vulnerable to market forces. A case in point is the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war saw global energy prices increase 20% for five straight months. Rising energy prices may decrease social surplus, which in turn, would slow economic growth.

Best stressed that the world needs stable energy over the long run. Disruptions, be they man-made or natural forces some operators, particularly in directly affected markets, to run operations continually without shutting down the plant for any turnaround.

"They are now prolonging their operations for as long as possible but well aware that their equipment needs maintenance and repair, hence using technology such as predictive maintenance and other options to help them," he opined.

Responding to digital threats

The May 2021 attack on the Colonial Pipeline in the US, reveals just how vulnerable critical infrastructures are from digital threats.

"Digital threats are very real today and everyone who runs a critical infrastructure has to act now," acknowledged Best. "It (digital threats) should be treated the same way as how safety systems were implemented at the beginning when they build a plant – where they analyse and study the requirements and put measures in place."

He points out that with new threats emerging constantly, more proactive measures and investments must be put into this in Asia Pacific as organisations become more aware of the cost to them in terms of potential loss of production hours and damage to infrastructure.

New challenges ahead

Best identified the changing environment and changing market conditions as top of mind when considering the challenges facing operators of critical infrastructure. "In the past, you can build a plant and keep it running for 10 or 20 years. Today, size and design need to adapt to changes often, which affects safety systems. Hence, the management of change is more important now than ever," he continued.

The other challenge he was quick to point out is the constantly changing security threats coming from outside which are hard to predict.

Click on the link to watch the full VODChat with FutureIoT.

1. Describe operational and functional safety at plants and critical infrastructure in APAC.
2. Critical infrastructure usually means operational technologies that are decades old. Why is that?
3. How has COVID impacted how critical infrastructure operators go about their business?
4. How do you see critical infrastructure operators responding to market forces?
5. What is hampering the digitization/modernisation of critical infrastructure?
6. How are critical infrastructure operators in APAC responding to digital threats today?
7. What is the problem that HIMA is solving?
8. What is your advice to critical infrastructure operators as regards safety?
9. What are the challenges of critical infrastructure today as it relates to safety?

The post VODChat: Operational and functional safety in plants and critical infrastructures appeared first on FutureIoT.

ABI Research estimates that the overall worldwide biometric device shipments fell from 4.1 million in 2019 to 3.4 million in 2021 and recovered slightly to 3.6 million in 2022.

With a CAGR of 11.3%, fingerprint recognition will expand from 1.7 million to 2.9 million shipments in 2022 and 2027 to claim the lion's share of the biometric modalities market. However, due to simplicity and the expanding use of liveness detection, facial recognition biometrics will experience the fastest growth over the same period, with a CAGR of 11.9%,” said Sam Gazeley, digital payment technologies analyst at ABI Research.

He went on to explain that in terms of biometric hardware technology shipment share, ID/Authentication will account for 64% of the BFSI market in 2023.

"This is partly because, aside from smartphone-centric biometric technologies, user registration and authentication are the key use cases for biometrics in the BFSI sector,” he added.

Getting worst before it gets better

Exacerbated by the increasing integration of biometrics in mobile banking apps and with more customers turning to mobile banking apps, several BFSI businesses are including biometric authentication methods like fingerprint and facial recognition in their solutions.

While this applies predominantly to the smartphone industry, the BFSI market's growing use of biometrics will encourage the deployment of biometric hardware in branches.

"The customer experience as it relates to the client authentication processes is being streamlined by deploying biometrics such as fingerprint and facial recognition, which improves the entire experience with BFSI services and combating fraud by eliminating the need for passwords,” explained Gazeley.

However, it is also important to remember that branchless banking is growing in popularity and will limit the accessible market for biometric hardware providers as we enter the forecast period, particularly regarding neo and challenger banks.

The post Biometric update expected to surge following drop during pandemic appeared first on FutureIoT.

Existing cold chain services in Hong Kong have not been meeting the expectations of food importers, wholesalers, retailers, and the catering industry. Most cold stores lack temperature control for goods once they leave the cold room, leading to the deterioration of fresh ingredients.

To bridge these gaps in the current cold chain logistics services in Hong Kong, TAHUHU launched what it claims to be the first automated and smart cold chain logistics service in Hong Kong.

The solution includes a seamless temperature-control loading dock, “muti-level no man zone” and top-of-the-line automation equipment, such as "goods-to-person" systems and “automated vertical cargo lift”.

Describing the innovation

TAHUHU utilises state-of-the-art logistics infrastructure, refrigeration systems, temperature control equipment, and stringent temperature control to maintain stable and optimal temperatures for goods in every single step.

With TAHUHU's dual-temperature refrigerated trucks, goods are transported directly to the temperature-controlled loading dock, to prevent the intrusion of hot air. Before loading, the truck will be pre-cooled to the target temperature to ensure all goods are loaded at the correct temperature.

TAHUHU's cold storage is divided into three temperature zones (0-4°C, -18°C, -25°C), allowing fruits, vegetables, flowers, sake, frozen meat, and ice cream to maintain their optimal condition, achieving a complete seamless cold chain connection.

What it means

With its advanced automation and innovative systems, TAHUHU is setting a new standard for cold chain logistics in Hong Kong. The facility's ability to optimise storage space and increase productivity while maintaining the highest quality standards is a testament to its commitment to excellence. TAHUHU's flexible approach to transforming traditional industrial buildings into high-standard cold chain logistics centres, not only increases productivity and enhances property value but also showcases the company's adaptability and innovation.

TAHUHU says its solution can ensure that all goods are seamlessly connected throughout the entire cold chain logistics process. In addition, TAHUHU's new CSA standard is poised to address long term shortcomings in the industry, such as inflexible delivery times, a tight supply of warehouse space, and difficulties in monitoring the performance of delivery drivers.

By utilising advanced CSA, TAHUHU can provide its customers with the most reliable, efficient, and seamless cold chain logistics service available.

The post TAHUHU redefines the industry standards for seamless cold chain logistics appeared first on FutureIoT.

The FiRa Consortium is dedicated to transforming the way we interact with our environment by enabling precise location awareness for people and devices.

Keysight Technologies has obtained a FiRa Consortium validation for its automated ultra-wideband (UWB) PHY Conformance Test Tool, enabling device makers and chip designers to quickly test the physical layer (PHY) conformance of their FiRa UWB-based products.

Using Keysight´s automated test solution based on the M9415A VXT PXI Vector Transceiver with PathWave Vector Signal Analysis (VSA), X-Series Measurement Application (X-apps), and Signal Generation, design engineers can perform a range of UWB measurements including frequency, time, and amplitude domain analysis, as well as antenna characterization and system-level testing. The testing solution was built on Keysight's expertise in radio frequency (RF) and microwave technologies to perform an advanced over-the-air (OTA) approach to map the angle-of-arrival (AoA) using its general-purpose VXT transceiver platform.

Peng Cao, vice president and general manager for Keysight's Wireless Test Group, said: "By providing a FiRa Consortium validated test tool based on our vector transceiver, we are enabling our customers to quickly and easily test their UWB devices for conformance with FiRa PHY technical requirements."

The post Solution to facilitate faster FiRa conformance test appeared first on FutureIoT.

MWave Consulting designs products that address the expanding demand for machine-to-machine (M2M) connectivity that requires resilience and real-time synchronization – applications for smart buildings, autonomous robots, and factory automation processes such as smart lighting control, smart elevators, smart traffic lights, charging stations, airport navigation systems and fire alarms.

MWave will use MaxLinear G.hn technology in its industrial IoT (IIoT) devices. MaxLinear says the G.hn technology can be applied to industrial IoT networks where devices connect through Ethernet PHY, MII, SGMII or RGMII interfaces.

G.hn is a specification for home networking with data rates up to 2 Gbit/s and operation over four types of legacy wires: telephone wiring, coaxial cables, power lines and plastic optical fibre. A single G.hn semiconductor device is able to network over any of the supported home wire types. Some benefits of a multi-wire standard are lower equipment development costs and lower deployment costs for service providers

“With G.hn's capability to handle real-time two-way traffic and high bandwidth, this technology is naturally well-suited as a backhaul for a complete range of smart buildings and automated factory devices,” said Richard Welland, director of international sales & marketing at MWave.

“Partnering with MaxLinear provides a modular G.hn solution that we can easily embed into our products that provide superior IIoT solutions, allowing the transport of multi-gigabit-per-second IP data reliably over any existing wire.”

Richard Welland

Will Torgerson, vice president of the Broadband Group at MaxLinear, says high-speed G.hn networking solutions enable shorter design cycles and significant design flexibility.

The post G.hn to enable shorter design cycles and significant design flexibility appeared first on FutureIoT.

Staff at Foodstuffs have used mobile computers to perform core functions such as ordering stock age of stock, stocktaking, price verification and the recent online order pickle application.

Time to upgrade

According to Ian Colhoun, user technology manager for Foodstuffs South Island, the previous mobile technology the company was using, the mc3190, was nearing its end-of-life, and was starting to cause reliability issues. In addition, the costs and capability to develop additional applications on these devices were unsustainable. The company also identified that it needed a 3D bar scan going forward.

The upgrade includes Zebra’s TC51 and TC52 mobile computers, ET51 Android tablet, and RS5100 Bluetooth wearable scanner. The TC51 and TC52 mobile computers provide its retail associates with ready access to their inventory levels to reduce lost sales resulting from out-of-stock situations.

Having such crucial information at their fingertips would also enable retail associates to spend more time engaging with shoppers to provide a better shopping experience.

The ET51 Android tablet and RS5100 Bluetooth wearable scanner help streamline workflows and increase the scanning speed of its market online picking team, resulting in enhanced productivity from its retail backend.

Colhoun said that by digitalizing its processes, "we give our retail associates ready access to key information about our inventory levels from the shop floor to avoid facing out-of-stock situations."

“This also eliminates the hassle of leaving the shop floor to check our office computer for data to answer shoppers’ simple questions. Promptly responding to our shoppers’ questions with real-time information about available stock will vastly improve the overall shopping experience which is our utmost priority,” he added.

A global trend is underway

According to Zebra’s 15th Annual Global Shopper Study, retail associates expressed out-of-stock complaints as their number one frustration (43% globally and 38% in APAC). Globally, a whopping 76% (64% in APAC) of shoppers leave without the items they intended to purchase with 49% (44% in APAC) blaming it on out-of-stocks.

“In recent years, we are observing a trend of renewed consumer expectations across the region as more shoppers seek a seamless omnichannel shopping experience,” said Christanto Suryadarma, Southeast Asia (SEA) sales vice president for Zebra Technologies Asia Pacific.

“With retailers pressured to keep up with rising shopper expectations, empowering retail associates with the right technology tools to effectively perform their duties will be crucial in responding to shopper needs and deliver on-demand effectively.”

Christanto Suryadarma

The post Kiwi grocery co-operative streamlines workflows appeared first on FutureIoT.

Common challenges in insect farming include mortality and disease arising from environmental conditions or insect feed, which typically cause 25-50% losses, as well as human error when managing populations of millions of insects. With an ERP and access to 2 supercomputers, the Entograte system provides powerful AI-driven solutions to address key production challenges in insect farms, increasing efficiency in insect egg production and larvae rearing.

CEO of Entoverse, Rudolf Davidov, said: “Our species-specific ERP system will make day-to-day operations of insect farms more efficient and automated, while our AI-driven solutions will help resolve the challenge of early mortality and optimising product quality.”

Following the introduction of GPT intelligence towards the end of 2022, Entoverse’s latest innovation seeks to apply the technology to overcome the challenge of human management of increasingly large and complex insect farms. Fast communication and reaction to changes in farming conditions are key, and FarmGPT is being integrated into Entograte’s chatbot function to achieve this.

It will deliver data-driven actionable insights that address insect cultivation challenges in real-time. FarmGPT will be trained by a combination of proprietary and white-label open-source training datasets, environmental data from IoT sensors and internet data, and insect behavioural data from live video camera farm footage.

Entoverse CTO and Co-Founder Dr Dmitry Mikhailov says "ChatGPT and now GPT-4 have proven the potential of AI in changing the way we approach the problems of today.

He explains that one of the problems Entoverse is solving is improving the efficiency of insect egg production and larvae rearing for maximum protein mass output. This cannot be done with manual farm management alone.

"This is why we have built Entoverse, which automates the farming process and improves yields. FarmGPT will now take this automatization one step further, and we are excited to witness how it will transform current approaches to insect farming for better output.” Dmitry Mikhailov

FarmGPT is being prepared to be tested at CricketOne, a cricket farming company based in Vietnam. The trials will study the efficacy of GPT-driven insect farming processes and how it will benefit farmers. Future applications of FarmGPT potentially include the breeding of other species in closed, controlled environments, such as bees, mealworms, shrimp and fish.

The post AI to optimise industrial insect farming appeared first on FutureIoT.

“The satellite industry is undergoing a major transformation, driven by accelerating technology development in the commercial space sector and is now turning out new designs with vastly reduced cycle times,” said Greg Patschke, general manager of Keysight’s aerospace/defense and government solutions group. “The need for high fidelity simulation and emulation as well as testing expertise, has never been greater to ensure successful mission and business outcomes.”

The Coleman Parkes Research survey, conducted on behalf of Keysight, found that 76% of industry professionals see software test automation as the top challenge, followed by 53% for system-level modelling and simulation, and 46% for design validation.

These findings highlight the need for advanced automation and emulation tools that can accelerate design and engineering processes. This is reflected in the top industry trends identified by respondents, with 43% citing shortened product development times as the leading trend, followed by 37% for advanced payload systems, and 34% for artificial intelligence.

Other findings

Satellites driving industry trends – When looking at the top ten industry trends for the next three years, respondents mentioned satellites most frequently. The top trend identified was small satellites in geosynchronous earth orbit (GEO), followed by very high throughput satellites, cybersecurity, in-orbit services, and large constellations in low earth orbit (LEO).

Data gathering and communications top impacts – When identifying the applications that will impact the industry the most, respondents most frequently cited data gathering, research, and communications. The top application cited was big data gathering and analytics, followed by uses including earth observation, global positioning/time services, science/research, and internet/voice/broadcast services.

Costs and supply chain greatest risks – When asked to assess the greatest risks to their projects, respondents reported that costs and supply chain were their primary concerns. The top risk cited was unpredictability in costs, followed by part/subsystem supply, technical scope, and program funding.

The post Shortened product development cycles as most important in satellite industry appeared first on FutureIoT.

“Global robot installations grew tremendously throughout 2021 and have continued to do so in 2022, reaching record levels for industrial and collaborative robots,” explains ABI research director Lian Jye Su. He concedes that this recent boom is expected to fade a bit in 2023 due to the ongoing war in Ukraine and inflation.

In this PodChats for FutureIoT, Su discusses the latest trends in industrial automation, artificial intelligence and robotics in Asia.

1. Describe the state of industrial automation in Asia in 2023?
2. How has robotics technology evolved in recent years? (types and applications)
3. Beyond Korea and Japan, how are other markets in Asia adopting/deploying robotics?
4. Most “hardware” robotics use cases are designed to perform a single specific task (for example moving goods or welding components). As AI and machine learning matures, do you ever see robotics taking on more sophisticated functions?
5. Are cobots a sign of things to come?
6. In IT, we’ve seen the rise of “as-a-service”, what will robotics-as-a-service look like?
7. The terms industrial IoT, industry 4.0 and robotics – how are all these connected?
8. Where are the hurdles in the evolution of robots or robotics in industrial applications?
9. What is your advice for organisations looking to integrate advances in robotics into operations further?

The post PodChats for FutureIoT: Industrial automation trends in Asia appeared first on FutureIoT.

This new capability leverages the ecosystem of Siemens Xcelerator, an open digital business platform that enables customers to accelerate their digital transformation easier, faster, and at scale.

NXpower Monitor enables the visualisation and monitoring of electrical assets within electrical networks, providing health status, KPI calculation, energy monitoring, and monitoring of operational data from assets.

This asset monitoring system enhances efficiency and risk management across the entire energy distribution network through continuous health monitoring, while simultaneously minimising CO2 emissions and OPEX.

By integrating AI-powered ESA technology, Siemens broadens its application to include the monitoring of AC motors and rotating equipment, all accessible through a single pane of glass.

“The digitalisation of energy distribution, automation systems, and networks brings many advantages," says Stephan May, CEO of electrification and automation at Siemens Smart Infrastructure.

He added that not only does it lead to substantial savings in terms of time and money, it also significantly boosts efficiency and reliability.

"By adding Samotics to Siemens Xcelerator, our open ecosystem of certified partners, customers can benefit from an expanded offering. This reflects our continued innovation efforts, including the integration of advanced low voltage analysis into our digital caretaker NXpower Monitor,” said May.

The integration of ESA technology enables NXpower Monitor to conduct real-time analysis of high-quality current and voltage data, enabling the detection of electrical and mechanical faults up to five months before downtime happens. The system is also able to deliver comprehensive performance and efficiency insights, pinpointing areas with the highest electricity consumption, cost, and efficiency losses.

By implementing data-driven recommendations, organisations can optimise operational processes, significantly reducing energy waste and cutting CO2 emissions by up to 15%.

Samotics CEO Jasper Hoogeweegen says: "Unplanned downtime and energy waste are among the most expensive problems in the industry. Traditional monitoring technologies do not adequately address these issues.

He explains that through partnerships with forward-thinking organisations such as Siemens, customers are benefiting from ESA technology that delivers real-time, actionable information about the condition, performance, and energy efficiency of critical rotating equipment. "This helps our clients to effectively improve the performance and energy efficiency of their critical assets,” he continues. 

The post NXpower Monitor gets AI-driven ESA from Samotics appeared first on FutureIoT.

The security hardware market is at an inflexion point, where real-time functional safety requirements from the microcontroller space are converging with trusted computing base and secure execution environments capabilities popular in SoC applications.

“A richness in security IP offerings on the market is enabling plenty of use cases for leveraging a trusted hardware foundation in IoT edge, with chipset manufacturers able to offer features such as advanced high assurance boot, hardware firewall domains, run-time attestation, and secure enclaves,” explains Michela Menting, research director at ABI Research.

She opines that most importantly, these capabilities allow building secure edge devices that can run trusted applications and securely communicate over networks to various front and backend services.

There is a democratization of the building blocks for designing secure edge devices: greater availability, more choice, better pricing, and improved functionality. Many security capabilities used to be offered to distinctive markets almost exclusively (microcontroller vs. CPU).

Still, a convergence in the space, driven by the demand for creating trusted applications in a myriad of IoT use cases, is breaking down those barriers. Demand for secure processors spans automotive, industrial, retail, logistics, healthcare, and consumer.

With heavyweights from the processor computing space like Intel, AMD, and TI to smartphone chipmakers including Qualcomm, MediaTek, and Samsung, and microcontroller leaders such as Microchip, NXP, Renesas, and STM, the market for secure processors for the IoT edge is vibrant and highly competitive, all offering innovative and highly performant technology solutions that can meet the modern demands of the IoT edge.

The post New opportunities for processor security applications using IoT Edge appeared first on FutureIoT.

Connected buttons are sometimes described as "smart buttons," but what makes the LTE-M IoT button so effective is its simplicity. A single click or press sends an event over the built-in LTE-M connection to the Soracom or UnaBiz platform endpoints, where the real intelligence resides. From there, the possibilities are nearly limitless.

Users can configure the button to trigger serverless functions on popular cloud services such as AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform. After registering the device, a user can simply select a cloud service, apply a piece of code and associate a button click to trigger any logic deployed in the cloud.

Developers looking to quickly understand and apply Soracom or UnaBiz platform capabilities can use the LTE-M button as a standalone device or with sensors and other devices (like a flood sensor or magnet relay) for more industrial applications.

Based on the code that users choose to deploy to their cloud of choice, the button can be used for any purpose. With the push of a button, users can order products and services (like ride-hailing or meal ordering), start or stop a task (as in a home automation context), generate an alert, provide feedback, and more.

Industries such as eCommerce, call centres, hospitality, maintenance, and transportation can use the IoT button to automate operations, streamline workflows, and improve customer service.

“The magic of the LTE-M Button is that it's a very simple device, but its applications are limited only by the user's imagination. Because it includes both connectivity and cloud integration, users can incorporate it into their own IoT use cases immediately on registration,” said Kenta Yasukawa, CTO and co-founder of Soracom.

He claimed that it's a very effective reference device for getting started in IoT, but it can also serve more sophisticated use cases, like connecting sensors and relays.

"Adding Soracom's platform capabilities lets the LTE-M button serve advanced cloud-based IoT systems using serverless cloud functions, data lakes, machine learning services and more,” he added.

With Soracom, UnaBiz is now pursuing LTE-M devices that allow enterprises and developers to easily integrate with existing business workflows and systems.

“Building on our deep knowledge of Sigfox-based low-power devices design, it was only natural for UnaBiz to partner with Soracom team expertise in LTE-M integrations,” said Alexis Susset, CTO of UnaBiz.

According to Susset, the collaboration has enabled both parties to jointly deliver a simple, evolutive and elegant IoT button which will last years on a single battery charge and benefit from the growing LTE-M networks coverage.

Features of the LTE-M button include Soracom’s eSIM technology, a three-colour LED status indicator, FOTA (or firm over the air) support, replaceable AA batteries, IP54 grade, and a recycled plastic casing. The button is pre-configured to send events to the companies’ cloud endpoints.

The post LTE-M IoT button opens limitless opportunities appeared first on FutureIoT.

To help companies keep their OT environments secure, Palo Alto Networks launched what it claims is the most comprehensive Zero Trust OT Security solution.

A key component of the solution is the new cloud-delivered Industrial OT Security service, which can be easily enabled — without the need to install additional sensors — by any of the 61,000+ active customers of Palo Alto Networks network security products: hardware and software Next-Generation Firewalls (NGFW) and Prisma SASE. Built on an AI-powered foundation with ease of deployment in mind, the new solution enables customers to secure their OT environments from the most sophisticated threats while simplifying their operations.

The challenges around security OT

OT devices can be hard to secure because many lack built-in security and were not designed to be patched. In addition, high uptime requirements limit the ability to do regular security maintenance. OT environments are also at risk as organisations adopt new technologies like 5G, which enable mass connectivity, and open up remote access.

“Most OT security solutions in the market fall short because they can’t identify all the assets and can only alert but don’t prevent threats. This leads to a patchwork of siloed security technologies, which can lead to security gaps,” said Anand Oswal, SVP for network security at Palo Alto Networks. “Our OT Security solution is designed to help organisations stay secure through granular visibility and effective inline security while meeting their availability and uptime requirements.”

Implementation

Using the industry’s first ML-powered OT visibility engine, the Industrial OT Security service recognises hundreds of unique OT device profiles, and over 1,000 OT/Industrial Control System (ICS) applications, and has hundreds of distinct OT threat signatures to help protect these hard-to-secure assets.

“As industrial OT systems and IT systems become more interconnected, so does the size of the attack surface available to the adversary. Defending against increasingly sophisticated threats requires expanded security strategies that can provide visibility, context, and Zero Trust capabilities across both OT and IT networks, devices, applications, and users,” said Dave Gruber, principal analyst, Enterprise Strategy Group. “The Palo Alto Networks solution embraces this unified security model, promising to help protect complex OT environments.”

A notable feature of the service is its ability to help security teams proactively understand risk and apply controls. It continuously observes, categorises, and visualizes asset behaviour so anomalies can be discovered immediately and addressed with a firewall policy.

“Manufacturing has come into the crosshairs of many recent cyberattacks. Palo Alto Networks Industrial OT Security is a must-have to ensure security best practices are in place,” said Jared Mendenhall, director of information security at Impossible Foods. “We look forward to Palo Alto Networks’ dedicated OT Security solution to help us further secure our manufacturing plant, and remote operations, and realise our broader Zero Trust vision.”

Palo Alto Networks’ Zero Trust OT Security solution secures multiple OT use cases with consistent Zero Trust policies, all managed centrally:

• OT assets and networks using Palo Alto Networks NGFWs, along with the new Industrial OT Security service.
• Remote access using Prisma SASE.
• 5G-connected devices using NGFWs with Palo Alto Networks 5G-Native Security.

The post Palo Alto Networks simplifies OT security appeared first on FutureIoT.

Frost & Sullivan’s Sensor Technologies Impacting the Physical and Digital Security Market predicts that by 2025, there will be a significant increase in the use of contactless sensing technologies for physical and digital security applications, including cameras, LiDAR, and terahertz (THz) image sensing.

Critical assets like personal identity and biometrics are protected by security sensors integrated with other emerging sensor technologies, like LiDAR and THz.

“Sensor technologies, drones, robotics, and internet of things (IoT)-enabled devices will fuel the adoption of security systems, offering safety and security advantages,” said Varun Babu, TechVision industry analyst at Frost & Sullivan.

“Additionally, security sensors integrated with other emerging sensor technologies, such as LiDAR and THz sensors, provide highly safe and sophisticated security to critical assets like personal identity and biometrics.” Varun Babu

He added that sensor technology providers must work closely with security software solution providers to build a robust, user-friendly security management system.

“Further, they should build strong partnerships and jointly develop video surveillance management systems to overcome internal technology development barriers in the next two or three years,” he predicted.

Opportunities ahead

Frost outlines vertical markets that are wide open to the adoption of sensors, particularly in security applications such as:

Artificial Intelligence (AI): With AI, security professionals can pre-emptively spot defective equipment like security cameras and analyze alarms from defective devices. It helps lower the chances of cyberattacks.

Machine learning (ML): Physical and digital security manufacturers and service providers can create security and video monitoring systems that dynamically notify users of abnormal activity using ML.

Robotics and drones: Mobile drone surveillance can monitor criminals on the road and help avoid or reduce deadly pursuits. Drones are also safer and offer a significant investment return over traditional surveillance.

The post Frost predicts significant use of contactless sensing tech appeared first on FutureIoT.

They are also prioritising sustainability and resiliency in their operations, driving the need for greater visibility across their environments. The distributed nature of these operations makes networks complex to manage, and as these industries digitise their assets, the cybersecurity attack surface grows.

"The most effective way to manage growing complexity and provide more insight into business operations is through reliable connectivity and complete visibility across an organisation's operations and assets," said Vikas Butaney, SVP/GM, SD-WAN, Cloud Connectivity, and Industrial IoT Networking, Cisco.

ThousandEyes to simplify IT data intelligence

Having the relevant data at the right time is necessary to optimise users' digital experiences, but data may not always be easy to collect and correlate. To help customers tackle this challenge, Cisco ThousandEyes now supports OpenTelemetry, the open-source framework and industry standard that partners, customers, and providers rely on to generate, collect, process and export cloud-native and distributed telemetry data.

As the first network visibility solution to support OpenTelemetry, ThousandEyes is making it possible for customers to interconnect cloud and internet intelligence across a wide range of solutions for unmatched data correlation and insight. With ThousandEyes for OpenTelemetry, Cisco is enabling true end-to-end correlated insights across disparate domains, from user to application, for optimal digital experiences.

New Cisco offering

Cisco is introducing new cloud services in its IoT Operations Dashboard to increase industrial asset visibility and securely manage assets from anywhere.

Cisco Cyber Vision is now integrated with Cisco IoT Operations Dashboard to grant IT and operations teams full visibility into IT and OT devices to manage threats across the organisation, providing a unified security posture across the entire network.

Secure Equipment Access Plus makes it easier for IT and OT teams to remotely deploy, manage and troubleshoot connected equipment. This service now provides access to any connected equipment with IP connectivity, so operations teams can run native applications on their workstations to access remote assets more easily.

These innovations, along with Cisco's extension of the portfolio of its Catalyst industrial wireless and switching portfolio, provide more common tooling and data so IT and OT teams can work more efficiently together to reduce downtime of critical infrastructure, drive greater business productivity and efficiencies, and enhance overall safety and security.

The post Cisco ThousandEyes to support OpenTelemetry appeared first on FutureIoT.

Instead of investing to build their own network, businesses and IoT solution providers can now connect to this network with ease, speed and cost efficiency, which was not possible previously. Data collected from LoRaWAN sensors can be sent for analysis to automate manual processes, enable predictive maintenance, increase productivity, and improve overall operational efficiency.

Dubbed the first-of-its-kind network built and marketed as national-scale enabled, the LoRaWAN gateways will use solar power thereby delivering on what SPTel claims as a cost-efficient and fast-to-deploy solution.

Why LoRaWAN

The LoRaWAN is a long-range, bi-directional communication protocol with very low power consumption. This makes it a highly sustainable solution for the long-term deployment of sensors and a boost to scale massive deployment of potential smart solutions quickly such as asset tracking, street lighting, waste management, water level and flood management, air quality control and rodent monitoring system in hawker centres and wet markets which enable targeted and effective pest control.

These are but some of the use cases which will herald not only a new era of business management efficiency in environment and building management but also improve citizens’ lives in the areas of public health and services.

SPTel’s Sensor Network coverage currently extends to more than 70% of heartlands, 42% of hawker centres, and 52% of town councils, and will continue to expand to meet the growing needs of partners and customers.   

According to SPTel CEO, Titus Yong the SPTel Sensor Network is a great leap towards a comprehensive and reliable offering for IoT solution providers. Businesses can tap on this ready infrastructure to jumpstart their IoT applications in a fast, flexible, and affordable manner.

“With the assurance that gateways are implemented on ultra-secure critical infrastructure locally and on a robust end-to-end IoT-as-a-Service platform, there is peace of mind over data sovereignty and security,” he asserts.

“Businesses and government agencies can focus on ramping up their digitalisation efforts towards IoT adoption nationwide. Besides being another step forward in our digital roadmap, this new solution places us in a strong position to capture growth opportunities from growing IoT demands.”

Titus Yong

The post SPTel LoRaWAN network covers Singapore heartland appeared first on FutureIoT.

As NDT software sales are predominantly tied to testing and inspection requirements across industries, the shift toward electric vehicles (EVs) and renewable energy will augment growth prospects. The NDT testing software market is expected to reach $853.7 million by 2026 from $503.8 million in 2021, registering expansion at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.1%.

“Industry 4.0 technologies, such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML), will enhance existing NDT techniques, paving the way for non-destructive evaluation (NDE) 4.0,” said Ram Ravi, industry principal at Frost & Sullivan. “Further, the need for more reliable and accurate inspection data will drive the adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies.”

He added that perpetual licensing has been the predominant business model for software in the NDT sector. “Additionally, the emergence of Industry 4.0 is expected to drive interest in newer business models, encouraging NDT vendors to offer software as a subscription,” he continued.

New opportunities

The growing landscape of the NDT software market encourages its market participants to focus on:

Strengthening their software offering by integrating AI/ML and providing enhanced value to customers.

Offering software that is simple and easy to use for customers and that easily integrates with existing systems.

Developing their robotic inspection solutions in-house or partnering with or acquiring companies offering these products.

Providing a closed-loop architecture that facilitates data collection and processing for manufacturing to assist organizations in making more informed decisions.

The post Frost identities new NDT market opportunities appeared first on FutureIoT.

The report, Border Security Technologies: Emerging Trends, Key Opportunities & Market Forecasts 2022‑2027, predicts that rising levels of international travel and greater passenger flow will drive the adoption of eGates, as a more efficient means of border control than manual processes.

Juniper Research forecasts that eGate hardware revenue will exceed US$490 million by 2027; up from US$207 million in 2023.

Rise in travel to drive adoption of eGates

Juniper Research predicts airports will be looking to implement efficient border control solutions to help manage increasing passenger flows, as international travel continues rebounding following the lifting of COVID-19-related travel restrictions.

Research author Jordan Rookes explained: “More international travel is placing increased stress on border control operations, with many airports unable to effectively manage the complexities associated with heightened passenger flow.

Accordingly, vendors must highlight their solutions’ ability to efficiently and reliably process a continuous flow of passengers when marketing their products.”

Regulation to drive growth in Europe

The research predicts that regulation, particularly within the EU, will drive the adoption of eGates, with the value of eGate hardware revenue across Europe set to account for 35% of the global total by 2027.

The EU has enacted regulations to improve the efficiency of border controls at the external borders of the Schengen area (the area in which 27 European countries have abolished border control measures across their mutual borders allowing free movement of people) by creating a centralised EES (Entry/Exit System) that leverages eGates.

This is available for use by non-EU nationals entering the EU. The research urges vendors to leverage advanced biometric and document capture technologies to meet the demands of border security, with success measured by efficiency, reliability and accuracy of passenger identification.

The post eGates pickups on travel resurgence appeared first on FutureIoT.

Frost & Sullivan’s Smart City Solutions Growth Opportunities reveals that the sector is evolving from aiming to create traffic management solutions to converging with industry participants creating solutions for data simulation, the sharing economy, social media, and mass transit.

The smart city solutions market will likely experience a boom as investments in upgrading telecommunication networks in cities to 5G standards will drive growth in digitizing city infrastructure and services.

“In every smart city project, one of the most important layers is connectivity, which is the city-wide network infrastructure that facilitates the data flow between devices and the central monitoring platform,” said Avishar Dutta, mobility senior research analyst at Frost & Sullivan.

He posited that to reduce the cost of setting up such a network, low-power wide-area network technology is seeing adoption to make smart city projects feasible for small urban areas.

“The main market growth drivers are regulations that mandate the biggest cities to reduce their carbon emissions in a timely manner. These regulations demand public spending in smart city investments, and governments are sanctioning smart city projects at an increasing pace, driving competitive intensity.”

Avishar Dutta

Lucrative growth opportunities

Frost says the demand for smart city solutions with increasing applications across areas presents lucrative growth opportunities for market participants. These include:

Autonomous mobility: Smart city solution providers should offer solutions that include vehicle-to-infrastructure and vehicle-to-vehicle communication devices.

Future city planning: Municipal authorities should consider the capabilities of smart city solutions to increase a city’s quality of living and harvest data to visualise how to plan out the city for the future.

Smart infrastructure: The mapping of cities to prepare them for autonomous vehicle services is also a market opportunity for smart city solution providers and can be included in smart city solutions.

The post Lucrative opportunities rise as demand for smart city solutions spike appeared first on FutureIoT.

But while electric vehicles have been heralded as one of the key innovations of our times to support efforts to curve the effects of continued use of fossil fuels on the environment (aka climate change), the challenge for road warriors and operators of public transport services, including taxis, is the lack of enough charging stations to keep vehicles moving.

With the anticipated rollout of more electric vehicles (EV) in the coming years, HERE Technologies announced a new service that predicts the likelihood of an electric vehicle (EV) public charge point is available in the future.

The charge point prediction feature is novel in its capacity to incorporate both EV infrastructure supply and real-world user demand while factoring in variables such as weather, time, and day. This addition supplements HERE EV Charge Points offering that has been deployed globally with many automakers.

HERE EV Charge Points’ prediction capability uses an applied machine learning (ML) algorithm that weighs GPS probes, and vehicle sensor data and correlates historical time/day, weather, and traffic pattern data. This enables HERE to have a granular view of EV charge point user patterns and surrounding traffic conditions. The volume of real-world data provides a virtuous loop of ML training data for HERE to continually improve the prediction service.

“EV drivers are navigating a patchwork of infrastructure, with various plug types, pricing, and little understanding of when a charge point is occupied,” said Chris Handley, vice president of dynamic spatial content at HERE Technologies. “This feature is focused on delivering a much-needed tool for EV drivers to more confidently plan their day and waste less time on charging.”

With the new charge point availability prediction, drivers will have greater visibility into whether the charge point will be available by the time they arrive for a charge up.

The post HERE to make it easy to find the nearest EV charging points appeared first on FutureIoT.

Advances in modular and customisable robots are expected to result in the growing deployment of robotics in the oil and gas industry.

GlobalData’s thematic report, ‘Robotics in Oil & Gas’, notes that, while robotics has been a part of the oil and gas industry for several decades, growing digitalisation and integration with artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, and Internet of Things (IoT), have helped diversify robot use cases within the industry.

“A huge number of robots are now being deployed in oil and gas operations, including terrestrial crawlers, quadrupeds, aerial drones, autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs),” said Anson Fernandes, Oil and Gas analyst at GlobalData. Robots have applications across the oil and gas industry in various tasks ranging from surveys, material handling, and construction, to inspection, repair, and maintenance. They can be customised for various tasks to ease the work and improve efficiency.

During the planning phases of an oil and gas project, robots can be deployed to conduct aerial surveys, or they can be employed to conduct seismic surveys during exploration. Aerial or underwater drones can be adopted depending on the project location and work requirements.

Robotics is a fast-growing industry

GlobalData forecasts robotics to experience a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 30% rising from US$52.9 billion in 2021 to US$568 billion by 2030.

“Robots will be the industry’s growth engine, and the oil and gas sector will greatly benefit from emerging use cases,” said Fernandes.

Data analytics and robotics improve insight obtained from surveys and surveillance exercises. This symbiotic relationship between robotics and wider digitalisation technologies is expected to be further evolved through collaborations between technology providers and oil and gas industry players.

“The volume of robotics use cases in the oil and gas industry is expected to grow rapidly, in tow with digitalisation. Industrial robots with analytical support from digital technologies are expected to become the mainstay across the oil and gas industry, especially in the upstream sector, where personnel safety and operational security concerns are heightened.”

Anson Fernandes

The post Robots are growth engine for Oil & Gas industry appeared first on FutureIoT.

Given that now this technology is merging with Machine Learning (ML) to lead the transition to Industry 4.0, the possibilities are enormous, especially at the edge. ABI Research forecasts that by 2027, total shipments of camera systems will reach 197 million, with revenue of US$35 billion.

“The shift from machines that can automate simple tasks to autonomous machines that can “see” to optimize elements for extended periods will drive new levels of industrial innovation. This is the innovation that ML offers to MV (also often known as computer vision),” explains David Lobina, artificial intelligence and machine learning analyst at ABI Research.

He added that ML can augment classic machine vision algorithms by employing the range and reach of neural network models, thus expanding machine vision far beyond a visual inspection and quality control, the locus classicus of good, old-fashioned computer vision.

Opportunities

Of all the trends in the ML market, at the edge of computing has the most exciting applications and benefits – namely, in those devices that are part of embedded systems and the Internet of Things. Smart manufacturing is perhaps the most straightforward case, where smart cameras, embedded sensors, and powerful computers can bring ML analyses to every process step.

Smart machine vision is on the job in factories, warehouses, and shipping centres, aiding and assisting human workers by handling the more mundane tasks, freeing workers to use their expertise to focus on the essential parts.

The market is also ripe for development in smart cities, smart healthcare, and smart transportation, with ATOS (in cities), Arcturus (in healthcare), and Netradyne (in transportation) as some of the key vendors in these sectors.

As in other cases of edge ML applications, the best way for the technology to advance is through a combination of hardware and software solutions and employing information-rich data. It is through a holistic approach of how all these factors can merge and combine that will achieve fruitful results.

Vendors are aware that they need to provide a competitive product. In cases involving sensitive or private data, such as healthcare, a whole package should provide hardware (cameras, chips, etc.), software, and an excellent way to analyse the data.

The “whole package” approach is perhaps not the most common example in the market. Still, vendors must be increasingly aware of how their offerings can mesh with other solutions, often requiring hardware-agnostic software and software-agnostic data analysis.

“This is a crucial point in the case of smart cities, healthcare, and transportation, especially regarding what machine vision can achieve in all these settings. For edge MV, software and hardware vendors, as well as service providers, will start taking an expansive view of the sector,” concluded Lobina.

The post 200 million cameras to bring smart machine vision to the edge appeared first on FutureIoT.

ABI Research forecasts that condition-based monitoring sensors will reach 277 million connections by 2026.

According to Tancred Taylor, IoT markets industry analyst at ABI Research, the CBM market has so far been the preserve of short-range wireless (SRW) technologies. He observes an increasingly more neutral stance toward connectivity as adopters approach use cases not from a technology perspective but from an outcome perspective.

“More investment in software and analytics platforms pushes the focus further toward generating value from sensor fusion and edge data execution. SRW, WAN, and wired technologies play different roles in growing the market into new types of assets that can be monitored.”

Tancred Taylor

“These technologies sometimes compete, but they often address distinct use cases. They contribute to expanding what is possible from CBM solutions rather than purely competing on the same turf,” he continued.

Market players

To date, the market is dominated by data collection on utilities and processes and monitoring motor-powered equipment. Much of this activity is happening in the industrial market, where companies are looking to reduce downtime by switching to more proactive maintenance strategies and reducing costs through more efficient use of machines and human resources.

Many companies are addressing the CBM market with a specialist focus on solving specific use cases. Independent solution vendors such as Fluke Reliability, VersaSense, Worldsensing, Everactive, and many others are a core part of this ecosystem.

Sensor vendors such as Wika or SICK Sensors are increasingly making a mark in their target industries, particularly through evolved software offerings. Solution aggregators, such as Cisco or Advantech, also play an essential role in packaging solutions to help reach scale.

Many other vendor types exist in this market, from pure-play software vendors or service providers to machine builders and large industrial companies. As the market matures, more partnerships between these to bring specialisms under a single roof will facilitate the adoption of all CBM solutions.

Taylor argues that the CBM market is important to follow because of the breadth of use cases and the size of the total addressable market, much of which is completely unserved today.

“Hardware and software will continue to evolve, and there is much work to do in the ecosystem to streamline how solutions are sold.  However, the growing maturity of IoT technology is increasingly leading to a situation where solution providers and adopters can focus on value first and technology second,” concludes Taylor.

The post New opportunities from condition-based monitoring sensors appeared first on FutureIoT.

Suppliers, distributors, and retailers are turning to digital transformations to cater to a rapidly growing market for end-to-end visibility and operational efficiency.

ABI Research forecasts warehouse management software (WMS) revenue in the food and beverage industry will reach US$975.2 million globally by 2026. Continued technology adoption will be critical to remain competitive and fulfilling growing consumer demand for omnichannel offerings.

“Technology adoption in the food industry has notoriously been low compared to other industries due to the razor-thin margins on food products and the challenge in managing products of different shelf lives and condition requirements,” said Ryan Wiggin, supply chain management & logistics industry analyst at ABI Research.

He opined that these very challenges that wide-scale digital transformations can help overcome, as well as help to ensure long-term price competitiveness and consistency in product availability.

“Accessible and scalable solutions are necessary for companies at each stage of the supply chain to thrive in such a fast-paced market,” he continued.

The technology landscape

As the volume of food and the number of ways consumers can shop for their groceries increases and the amount of labour available decreases, retailers are turning to software and hardware solutions to alleviate operational constraints.

Enabled traceability via the Internet of Things (IoT) data-fuelled software solutions, such as WMS and Supply Chain Control Towers, are becoming increasingly sophisticated and more accessible. As such, companies can move away from manual tracking and support better operational decision-making with deeper visibility and forecasting.

Companies like the Optel Group deliver centralised platforms to harmonize data and stakeholders across the supply chain, allowing companies to manage and react better to events. At the same time, companies like Wiliot offer innovative IoT solutions that can track product location, temperature, and exposure to provide real-time granular data and ensure food safety.

From a hardware angle, handheld devices, mobile computers, and interactive kiosks from companies like Zebra are facilitating retailers' move into omnichannel offerings to significantly increase worker productivity at both a store and warehouse level.

Item-picking solutions from robotics firms, such as RightHand Robotics, are helping to automate end-of-line operations to support micro-fulfilment and online order picking. Broader deployments of Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) and Automated Storage & Retrieval Systems (AS/RS) in warehouses continue to grow as functionality and control over the scale of deployments for end users develop.

“Growing operational pressures and incoming regulation such as FSMA Rule 204 will drive investment, but collaborative strategies and upskilling will be necessary to smooth adoption. Food companies must identify current pain points and establish phased digital transformation plans.”

Ryan Wiggins

“Technology vendors need to facilitate step approaches to adoption with continued engagement to ensure technology dispersal in the food industry is equitable and widespread,” concluded Wiggin.

The post Resilience in F&B to come from better visibility and insight appeared first on FutureIoT.

“When it comes to data centres, monitoring solutions support the monitoring of all IT components, which includes external facilities and security, as well as customisable alerts and reporting,” he commented.

In this article, Krueger provides insights into how networks of sensors are deployed in the data centre and used to monitor and predict the status of a data centre facility, including cooling systems, lighting, and security.

He explained that predictive maintenance anticipates future problems with IT infrastructure through forecasts and predictions made by analysing real-time data obtained from sensors and IoT, allowing organisations time to identify and work on anticipated risks.

“Predictive maintenance employs technologies such as machine learning to model and analyse real-time data and optimise the execution process, drastically reducing infrastructure downtime.”

Sebastian Krueger

He explained that by providing a centralised overview of the entire data centre infrastructure, a holistic monitoring solution supports a predictive maintenance programme in monitoring the sensors and IoT devices that provide real-time data.

What are the elements of a monitoring solution that support the monitoring of the entire scope of IT environments?

Sebastian Krueger: Sensors are the building blocks of a monitoring solution - monitoring solutions usually rely on sensors and other IoT devices to gather real-time data from an application or device. These range from generic sensors for monitoring hardware devices to platform-specific, preconfigured, or customised sensors to CCTV cameras and smoke alarms that monitor the physical environment.

Sensors in a monitoring solution integrate with important technologies such as SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol), WMI (Windows Management Instrumentation), and HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) to gather system and performance data and to monitor the diverse variables present across the entire data centre infrastructure, which includes servers, networks, websites, and applications, present across a range of operating systems.

Apart from monitoring, another important element of a monitoring solution is being able to access and communicate the real-time information gathered in a simplified, convenient, and efficient manner.

Interactive dashboards and maps, that are based in real-time, allow for an easy-to-read and centralised overview of the system - this is especially convenient for larger and more geographically distributed IT environments such as data centres.

Customisable alerts and notifications - for whenever there has been a status change - are another element that enhances the scope of monitoring solutions.

Why do organisations need to monitor all the sensors and systems 24/7 with regard to availability and function and, at the same time, collect surveillance data?

Sebastian Krueger: Special attention needs to be given to the data centre security which not just covers the IT network and infrastructure risks but the entire premises.

When it comes to physical risks, it is important to monitor that there are no instances of overheating, cable fires which can cause massive damage while leakages in the air conditioning systems release water that can result in short circuits or damage the IT equipment.

What is needed is extensive sensor technology which can detect humidity, room temperature, hot spots, smoke, and other environmental influences. Monitoring issues such as smoke, fire, water intrusion, faulty cooling, faulty batteries, physical intrusion, building access security, as well as CCTV manipulation is important.

Given this backdrop, it is essential to keep a constant eye to detect any potential security threat, since data centres are doubly at risk, whether on the IT level, through distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, viruses, Trojans and similar threats or on the physical level, that can cause unwarranted disruptions.

Thus, organisations need to use the right monitoring tools which can leverage extensive sensor technologies and systems 24/7, regarding availability and function, and concurrently collect the surveillance data and integrate it into a central system to be pro-actively prepared for any anomalies.

How important is environmental monitoring of the data centre?

Sebastian Krueger: Given that data centres are required to always operate, disruptions such as power failure or overheating can cause massive damage, which includes increased costs, potential downtimes, increased wear and tear, and other disruptions.

Hence, apart from security and operational hardware devices, the monitoring of environmental parameters is an extremely important component of maintaining a functional data centre. A monitoring solution can support the monitoring of environmental parameters such as power and cooling.

While data centres are usually equipped with backup power systems such as UPS and SPS in case of a power outage, a monitoring solution helps monitor the status and performance of all power systems, including the backup.

Sensors help monitor any power-related occurrences - be it outage, heavy loads, or replacement. Similarly, to avoid system overheating, it is extremely important to maintain optimum room temperature.

A monitoring solution can integrate and combine multiple systems that give a singular overview of the detection of an irregularity and its cause, allowing for a much quicker and more efficient resolution.

The post Enhancing data centre operations with IoT appeared first on FutureIoT.

The COVID-19 pandemic has become a fertile ground for the combination of the IoT and digital twins to solve one of the biggest challenges brought about by the ensuing mobility restrictions – how to be more resilient to ongoing uncertainties.

As we prepare to face continuing uncertainties in 2023, what can we learn from the past three years to help businesses be more adaptive and resilient in the years ahead?

KONE is a Finnish engineering company best known for its elevators, escalators, automatic building doors, and monitoring and access control systems.

IoT has opened new business opportunities for Kone in areas such as remote monitoring, as Markus Huuskonen, KONE's head of maintenance processes, explains it: “This ability to remotely monitor equipment has been one of our targets for a pretty long time, but now IoT really enables us to do it efficiently while scaling up our operations.”

FutureIoT spoke Jukka Salmikuukka, partnership development director at KONE Asia Pacific, for his perspective on how organisations are adopting IoT to solve real-world business problems.

Which industries are leading the deployment of the Internet of Things (IoT)? Compared to other regions outside Asia, how sophisticated (mature) is the level of use of IoT?

Jukka Salmikuukka: IoT is utilised so widely that you can find great deployments happening in many industries. Good examples are manufacturing, finance, and healthcare where IoT is widely utilised.

"Regardless of the industry, often the deployments are driven by global organisations with the help of global technology/platform providers. This means that the best practices can be efficiently utilised, and the smartest deployments can be done regardless of whether the location of the underlying infrastructure (for example core networks for the internet) is solid and reliable enough."

Jukka Salmikuukka

In Southeast Asia, Singapore is leading the way and setting the standard in digitalisation in many ways – especially compared to the rest of the world.

The Smart Nation initiative has proven to be a very powerful approach in combining public and private sector actions to drive the adoption of digitalisation and IoT. Following this example, we have also seen the neighbouring countries actively working on various IoT opportunities.     

Within the leadership of these organisations deploying IoT, what do you see are the primary motivations?

Jukka Salmikuukka: Quite naturally it is usually about money – often IoT enables significant cost savings or opens new revenue opportunities.

More and better data combined with advanced analytics helps healthcare to operate more efficiently and provides more accurate care for patients.

Elevator and escalator companies such as ours can predict possible upcoming problems and neutralise those before issues arise allowing the people flow in busy buildings and cities to continue without interruptions.

The better retailers can understand their customer’s behaviour and preferences, the more successfully they can tailor their offerings for them.

Hotel operator may solve their service personnel challenges by deploying delivery robots to manage in-room deliveries. Numerous similar examples can be found in many industries.

At the same time, IoT can also play a significant role in helping organisations achieve their sustainability targets – IoT solutions can help eliminate waste, minimise energy consumption or achieve carbon-neutral operations, which besides providing financial benefits is also good for the planet.

Similarly, IoT can future-proof buildings for owners, so they can more accurately plan their future investments throughout the building’s lifecycle. 

How do you see these IoT deployments impacting other initiatives like transformation, modernisation and many more?

Jukka Salmikuukka: I would like to use a very worn-out cliche here: “everything is connected”. IoT is one of the key enablers for transformation, modernisation, and renewal.

IoT has changed and will keep on changing the world – the way we do things, how we work, how we play and how we live. Some jobs may disappear thanks to IoT, but new roles will emerge because of it.

Therefore, IoT deployments should be seen as tools and enablers to achieving the targeted transformations and other changes.

Given that security is a rising concern for businesses, how should enterprises deploying IoT manage the security strategy of the company?

Jukka Salmikuukka: Data security is a top priority when we speak about IoT. When leveraging IoT, security cannot be something that you “add” on top of the solution in the end.

It must be designed into the solution from early on to ensure that there is comprehensive, end-to-end security in place in a way that can be managed and updated when needed.

This type of comprehensive security management can be achieved only through systematically organised processes and practices that are applied throughout the entire organisation and in collaboration with the right type of partners.

As we step into 2023, how should enterprises review IoT deployment strategies to ensure that these initiatives meet expectations?

Jukka Salmikuukka: I believe everybody agrees that no organisation can walk away from digitalisation, but we all need to have a clear strategy and plan for it. It is very important to pick the right partners with whom the IoT initiatives can be carried out successfully.

The IoT and technology landscape is evolving so quickly that organisations need to stay on top of all the possibilities new technology can enable, being those digital twins, metaverse or anything else. This understanding combined with systematic technology roadmaps helps organisations deploy IoT successfully into their operations.   

The post IoT in 2023, beyond smart connectivity appeared first on FutureIoT.

Kerlink, a specialist in solutions dedicated to the Internet of Things (IoT), and its Japanese distributor, GISupply, announced a customised aquaculture-monitoring system that supports sustainable seafood production and lowers farmers’ costs.

Kerlink and GISupply’s smart-aquaculture solution targets that market and the global fish-farming industry with a LoRa-based sustainable aquaculture business model. Like land-based agriculture, sustainable seafood production is vital for feeding a growing global population, but the worldwide global wild fish catch has not increased significantly since the early 1990s.

The two companies’ smart-aquaculture system enables farmers to optimise operations and make data-driven decisions in real-time by automating water monitoring done manually by farm owners or employees who visited farms to collect and analyse data. Their new solution improves the effectiveness of fish breeding by enabling producers to continuously monitor water quality and temperature, which is critical because of global warming.

Another positive return-on-investment (ROI) feature enables the installation of multiple sensors that were not used in legacy systems, and which improve pattern recognition and forecasting for farm operations. Altogether, system sensors measure dissolved oxygen, oxidation-reduction potential (ORP), salinity, pH, turbidity, brightness, ammonia, and chlorophyll.

The sensors, which have SDI-12 or analogue interfaces, are supported by industrial-grade Kerlink Wirnet iStation gateways, which meet standard requirements of public and private network operators, private businesses and public authorities, and a LoRa controller from Tekbox, a manufacturer of equipment for environmental monitoring, agricultural-yield applications and test equipment for niche applications.

Sensors are provided by Aqualabo, which designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of water analysis and testing devices and instruments, and Eureka, a global leader in the design and manufacture of multiparameter water quality probes.

Customers develop their own cloud software to support the system because the required data varies significantly depending on the species – fish, shellfish or invertebrate marine animals (echinoderm) – being raised in each farm.

“The Japanese and global smart-aquaculture markets embrace sustainable practices and expect new technologies, such as the IoT, to operate 24/7 regardless of what Mother Nature has to offer, even winter blizzards,” said Satoshi Kitaoka, president of GISupply.

“The reliability of our system has been proven in both land-based and open-ocean aquaculture farms, providing farmers with continuous readings of their conditions – and more confidence that they can meet their production and financial goals.”

Satoshi Kitaoka

The post A solution to improve water quality in Japan’s aquaculture industry appeared first on FutureIoT.

The Border Security Market forecasts the border security market to reach US$65,150 million by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 7.61%

As the travel industry, border authorities face the need to win in operational efficiency and user convenience. For years, biometrics has been used by authorities to simplify traveller experiences at borders, speeding up people's enrolment and ID checks (ex: the eGates or Entry-Exit Systems).

The new Thales multimodal biometric pod is an efficient enrolment and identification solution that helps smoothly manage travellers’ border and immigration processes. It combines ‘iris & face’ capture and recognition capacities to enable fast and secure people enrolment and ID verification at borders. The pod features a modern design that perfectly suits the authority’s needs in high-security environments.

With the Thales multimodal biometric pod, border authorities can easily integrate automation into their processes, without compromising on passenger and employee security nor on the confidentiality of the data exchanged as the solution offers ‘security and privacy by design’ parameters.

Featuring a camera and a high-resolution LCD screen, the biometric pod can recognise pre-enrolled travellers’ iris and face from 0.5m and up to a record of 1.5m, with excellent accuracy. Boosted by AI, the solution captures dual iris and face in two seconds, leading to swifter operations and visibly shorter waiting queues.

Thales biometric pods can be set at any border checkpoint (airports, seaports, etc.) managing both the first traveller enrolment upon arrival and quick biometric checks whenever required (upon territory exit, internal flights etc).

“The combination of biometric patterns applied to touchless people authentication, is a sought-after solution for many stakeholders to address security, operational and convenience challenges”, said Youzec Kurp, VP of identity and biometric solutions at Thales.

“Thales relies on its in-house biometrics, border, and smart travel expertise to design, develop and deliver top tier responsible biometric solutions to meet users’ expectations and authorities’ requirements.”

Youzec Kurp

The post Multimodal Biometric Pod to more efficiently secure borders appeared first on FutureIoT.

ABI Research forecasts revenues for 5G private network and 5G network slicing deployments in the Asia-Pacific region will increase from US$732 million and US$151 million in 2022 to over US$13 billion and US$12 billion by 2028, respectively.

“5G-to-Business applications have been shown to improve productivity and reduce costs for enterprises across different verticals,” says Matthias Foo, 5G markets industry analyst at ABI Research.

“Beyond that, 5G enterprise deployments were also shown to reduce power consumption by improving equipment efficiency through data analytics and workplace safety with machine vision and AI.”

Matthias Foo

Within the private 5G cellular space, manufacturing is projected to be the vertical with the highest revenue potential for 5G-to-Business applications in the Asia-Pacific region.

Use cases

Key use cases utilize the capabilities of 5G to enable real-time robotic control for remote-controlled operations, autonomous vehicle operations, extended reality technology for training and support applications, and the collection of a large amount of sensor data for developing digital twins. Some relevant case examples include South Korea’s LG Smart Park and Japan’s Fujitsu Oyama Plant.

In the 5G network slicing domain, the logistics vertical is forecast to be the highest contributor to revenue.

Key use cases for 5G adoption include vision-based inspections for autonomous and/or remote-controlled operations, asset tracking, and smart transport applications, as illustrated by China’s Ningbo-Zhoushan Smart Port and Australia’s drone delivery operator Swoop Aero.

Opportunities ahead

While the 5G-to-Business market in Asia-Pacific is currently driven by several key countries, there continues to be a large opportunity for 5G-to-Business growth in the region as more countries, like India, begin to roll out their 5G networks and more Communication Service Providers (CSPs) deploy 5G Standalone networks.

“While the economic outlook in many regions has become more uncertain, 5G cellular coverage and innovations continue. Those firms and countries implementing 5G-to-Business applications are most likely to secure first mover advantages,” concludes Jake Saunders, vice president of Asia Pacific and research director for ABI Research’s 5G markets research service.

The post US$25 billion 5G-to-business opportunity for APAC appeared first on FutureIoT.

Driving spending in the face of a sharper economic reality is a growing expectation among consumers for smart home capabilities.

“The COVID pandemic-induced emphasis on home improvement boosted the Smart Home industry. It then moved into a more mainstream awareness that continues to bolster spending as consumers look to replace or improve devices in and around their homes,” explains Jonathan Collins, smart home and smart buildings research director at ABI Research.

Vendors like Amazon, Apple, Ikea and Somfy are expanding their products to connect to existing smart home systems. Strong support for the Matter 1.0 specification, released in early October, enables cross-vendor device interoperability, maximizes their products' potential to reach consumers, and simplifies consumers’ purchase and installation of new devices.

As consumer demand and expectations for smart home capabilities grow, device purchases are pushing into previously underserved market areas, such as Multi-Dwelling Units (MDUs), hospitality, and more.

“That is not to say growth will be even across device categories or vendors. Interoperability, functionality, and application integration will all be key to spending as consumers increasingly transition from single-device purchasing to building out whole-home systems."

Jonathan Collins

The post Rising spend on smart home hardware appeared first on FutureIoT.

By the programmable logic controllers (PLC) The Stuxnet computer virus disrupted the Iranian nuclear program by damaging centrifuges used to separate nuclear material.

The United States Presidential Decision Directive 62 (issued in 1998) stated that “Critical infrastructures are those physical and cyber-based systems essential to the minimum operations of the economy and government. They include, but are not limited to, telecommunications, energy, banking and finance, transportation, water systems and emergency services, both governmental and private.”

Trending in ICS security

Tim Conway, a certified instructor and technical director for ICS and SCADA programs at the SANS Institute says globally there are common trends across multiple geographies and critical infrastructure sectors with asset owners and operators pursuing increased interconnectedness across systems, increased remote access, and increased pursuit of cloud integration.

“In addition, with this movement toward connecting and operating systems in ways they never were previously designed for, there is a corresponding increase in concern, which is driving regulation and framework adoption to ensure appropriate levels of cybersecurity detection and defence capabilities.”

Tim Conway

What are the current and emerging ICS vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure (in Asia)? What is the industry doing to address these?

Tim Conway: This is truly a global issue, while some sectors may be of higher risk in certain geographies than other parts of the world, we all face similar challenges across common ICS devices, and protocols that are used in various industries. 

In general, we are seeing a rise in ICS-targeted malware which is concerning for all vendors and the associated industries that rely on those vendor products and solutions. 

Modular malware frameworks that allow adversaries to add capabilities or customise an attack approach have been discovered and they truly provide a force multiplier capability that could enable an increased frequency of attacks across a broader scope of targets potentially.

With the increasing adoption of IIoT, to what extent are ICS vulnerabilities expanding beyond operational technology (OT)?

Tim Conway: There will continue to be a feverish pursuit of connectivity and automation to everything everywhere, our challenge is in understanding where all those trusted communication paths are, how they could be misused and what impactful effects could be achieved. 

Understanding these attack vectors, and vulnerabilities will allow organisations and individuals to make risk-informed decisions about what technologies should be pursued and where.  The phrase, “Just because you can, does not mean you should” applies well here. 

Singapore is probably one of the best examples to look at regarding guidance and thoughtful discussions on the development of a common balanced approach to pursuing innovating technologies and interconnectedness with a healthy dose of concern about how those technologies should be implemented and maintained.

Can you share common pitfalls and challenges in ICS security that impact/endanger critical infrastructure security in Asia?

Tim Conway: Every process has unique considerations and nuanced discussions around appropriate cyber-informed engineering concepts that need to be pursued.  There needs to be a focused investment in the workforce around the areas of operations, engineering, safety, and cybersecurity to begin addressing the issues truly.

What lessons can Asia learn from recent compromises and attacks in industrial companies around the world – to protect the community and national security?

Tim Conway: As a region, I would recommend any country to look to activities being pursued around the world to run national exercises throughout their critical infrastructure sectors and examine the regulation or guidelines that have been implemented elsewhere to determine if there are areas within their own country that could benefit. 

From an attack perspective, each sector should look to impactful attacks around the world and ask the questions of their teams – how that attack could occur in our organisation, would it have been worse, how would we detect and prevent it, what can we do to improve our abilities to operate through a similar attack, and then establish exercises to practice and prepare.

What are the key ICS cybersecurity critical controls that governments and organisations should deploy to adapt, to best fit their environment and risks? How has ICS cyber security evolved in recent years?

Tim Conway: ICS cyber security has greatly expanded from the perspective of solutions and guidance.

We have recently released a whitepaper on “The Five ICS Cybersecurity Critical Controls” and we feel this will significantly help organisations establish focused capital and O&M projects and programs to address the areas of greatest risk.

The post Securing the critical appeared first on FutureIoT.

A report by Grand View Research values the global location intelligence market size at US$14 billion in 2021 and is projected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15.6% from 2022 to 2030, largely driven by increased investment in the Internet of Things (IoT) and a growing focus on location services across industries.

Regionally, the indoor location-based services market is expected to grow by 36.7% year-on-year owing to the rising demand for digital platforms amid the pandemic.

The state of indoor location services today

The problem with indoor wayfinding is the fact that global positioning systems (GPS) simply does not work well indoors. For GPS receivers to work, they need to be able to receive signals from the constellation of satellites orbiting earth from more than 20,000 km away.

That is why GPS systems in cars take seemingly forever to initialise, and why receiving these signals through concrete walls indoors is seemingly impossible.

So, current indoor access points (APs) on their own do not provide accurate location information. Indoor location-based applications have therefore used alternative technologies such as Bluetooth or other wireless systems to improve the accuracy of indoor positioning and this is typically a separate network to Wi-Fi.

As a result, we have not seen the widespread adoption of indoor locations nor a set of standard applications like we have in the outdoor space.

Users usually end up having to manually map out the location points of their APs. This results in inaccuracies due to human error, to speak nothing of the labour-intensive nature of this process. Each time the location of this AP is changed, time and resources must be devoted towards recalibration.

Imagine the cumbersome process of manually mapping each device or machine within a multi-storey hospital that operates over thousands of devices daily, each taking about 10 to 15 minutes to manually perform.

How GPS is making self-locating indoor access points

GPS-enabled APs, on the other hand, automate this process and drastically lower the cost of operations. APs are generally static—they do not move around a lot—and they need to communicate with other APs around them to self-locate by using high-sensitivity GPS receivers that are embedded in and optimised for APs.

By combining GPS with fine time measurements (FTM), which can orchestrate and coordinate the measurements between APs across the network, AP locations are accurately represented in both latitude and longitude—meaning the true height of the access point is also calculated in the process.

Furthermore, these GPS-enabled indoor APs can be located on ceilings, with their antennas facing the floor, and even in basements—traditionally the worst kind of environments for GPS solutions. But we made it work.

The integration of APs with GPS capabilities puts an end to any abstraction in location services. Instead, these APs communicate automatically with each other and algorithmically determine an optimal anchor point for all APs within the network.

This enables a self-correction of sorts over time after the initial set-up—performed through repeated measurements and correction of anchor APs to provide businesses with the most accurate location possible.

By standardising how APs share their reference locations with the ecosystem—over-the-air and via cloud-based APIs, existing GPS navigation applications can leverage location coordinates supplied by the APs to extend their coverage indoors.

This is highly beneficial for businesses that operate on large premises. In hospitality, for instance, precise indoor location can vastly improve the customer experience by providing guests with better navigation to event halls and food and beverage outlets, as well as easy and secure access to hotel facilities and services.

Beyond navigation, GPS-enabled indoor access points introduce many potential possibilities, including asset tracking of expensive medical equipment in hospitals, and geofencing in daycare centres to ensure child safety.

These self-locating indoor access points engender greater efficiencies across all layers of operations and simultaneously improve the accuracy of today's networks to bring greater value to customers.

By working out how to successfully integrate GPS receivers into indoor access points, network administrators can manage these APs in the long term to enable the delivery of improved indoor location services that make things like object and people tracking more accurate than ever. The potential use cases across industries are staggering, and that's game-changing.

The post Bringing GPS Indoors – access points as the North Star to your buildings appeared first on FutureIoT.

Our 2023 predictions for edge computing, IoT, and networking take into account these market forces and highlight their impact on the technology triad, as well as how edge, IoT, and networking can address dynamic market opportunities.

Below is a look at three of the bold calls we’re making for edge, IoT, and networking in 2023:

Big city IoT and infrastructure initiatives to lure back citizens and workers will fall flat. In 2023, government funds, including the $89.9 billion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in the US, will power smart lighting, traffic management, and energy monitoring investments in cities.

5G and Wi-Fi deployments will extend connectivity to visitors, residents, and anywhere workers. However, these investments won’t lure citizens back to big cities like Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York in 2023 due to increased crime rates and public safety concerns.

City leaders must focus on improving safety while addressing public disapproval of surveillance and public safety methods.

Smarter farming will take off in response to extreme weather and war. Before Russia invaded Ukraine, China and Russia accounted for over a quarter of global wheat exports. As global tensions rise, and weather events become more extreme, edge- and IoT-enabled food production will finally achieve meaningful scale in 2023.

One vertical farm in Dubai produces over 1 million intensely monitored kilograms of leafy vegetables each year, without pesticides and using up to 95% less water than traditional methods. In the vast mechanized farmlands around the globe, ground, air, and space-borne sensors combine with edge processing and analytics to reduce water consumption and direct environmentally damaging chemicals to specific plants.

Rising business-wide networks, confidential computing, and Zero Trust edge (ZTE) will ignite the edge. To help protect data in IoT scenarios, confidential computing isolates sensitive operations in a trusted execution environment during processing. IoT data remains protected when in use, so it’s easier to meet strict regulations for data privacy and to introduce new use cases.

To support the transfer of data between edge and cloud while appearing seamless to the developer, two networking markets, ZTE and multi-cloud networking, will combine to create a business-wide networking fabric. Multicloud overlay solutions, such as Aviatrix and F5 Volterra, enable a single multi-cloud network platform.

The post Predictions 2023: economic uncertainty and climate shifts will shape edge, IoT, and networking appeared first on FutureIoT.

Gartner defines a warehouse management system (WMS) as "a software application that helps manage the operations of a warehouse or distribution centre."

According to Data Bridge Market Research, the WMS market in Asia Pacific is expected to reach US$2434.16 million by 2029, with a CAGR of 18% during the forecast period of 2022 to 2029. Unlike traditional warehousing operations where data is typically loaded, extracting real-time statistics is no longer just preferred, but a necessity to gain prior insights into potential challenges within warehouse operations.

Unify Analytics from AutoStore is a cloud-based service and data platform for intelligent warehousing. It enables businesses using AutoStore, an automated storage and retrieval system, to leverage data-led insights from their system and easily identify the cause of operational challenges.

“Over the last two years, we have seen how businesses are startled by the sudden explosive demand and orders. Our aim is to assist businesses in ensuring their operations run smoothly without disruptions due to poor inventory management, or the inaccuracy of data storage,” says Clement Yew, director of business development for Southeast Asia at AutoStore.

“Through Unify Analytics with AutoStore, customers can now have real-time visibility and statistics for their warehouse operations to make informed and verifiable decisions. Despite the fluctuations in demand, the insights can prepare customers in adapting to the changing market trends and uncertainties.”

Clement Yew

Two versions

Unify Analytics is available in two versions, a web application where businesses can view real-time statistics and analytics, and an API that enables seamless integration with any external third-party applications.

“Businesses can reap multiple benefits by combining automated storage and retrieval, and data-led insights. This data analysis tool will allow businesses to be more proactive and respond rapidly to real-time challenges,” says Andreas Munch, product manager at AutoStore.

Monitoring with data visualisation tools

Unify Analytics consists of several performance analysis dashboards that provide graphical presentations of operational information. Examples of available data are uptime and number of stops within the system; waiting time per bin; average distance per robot; and the number of tasks a customer has prepared in the system (each hour). It also shows if the software and firmware have been updated.

“Data is only effective if we measure the right metrics. We currently include a selected list of key metrics and will develop and add new features to the software gradually, in close dialogue with our users," says Munch.

In the next stages of the technology, AutoStore developers plan to include an alert functionality. End-users will get a notification via email or SMS when set conditions are triggered, allowing businesses to respond quickly to operational challenges.

A single data platform

The AutoStore System generates vast amounts of information on a continuous basis, making it valuable to have a technology that organises all data onto a single platform, is highly protected, and meets security requirements.

“The new analytics tool secures access to real-time and logged data and is only accessible to designated end-users and distribution partners. We automatically deploy software updates when they are available, without any system downtime,” says Munch.

The post Unify Analytics offers real-time visibility of warehouses appeared first on FutureIoT.

According to Counterpoint’s Global IoT Module Manufacturing Tracker, original design manufacturers (ODM) saw the fastest growth in H1 2022 at 45% YoY, followed by electronics manufacturing services (EMS) at 30% and in-house manufacturing at 21%.

After declining in Q1 2022, the global cellular IoT module market recovered in Q2 2022, despite macroeconomic headwinds and lockdowns in China, the largest IoT market.

Speaking on ODMs and EMSs, senior analyst Ivan Lam noted that in the past few years, leading Chinese OEMs have grown significantly in size.

“They have experience in managing supply chain partners and manufacturing allies. Leading OEMs have brought in multiple supplier policies to maintain their cost competitiveness, which gives them an advantage in terms of cost offering.”

Ivan Lam

Competitive landscape

The top 10 ODM/EMS players captured two-thirds of IoT module outsourced manufacturing in H1 2022. The leading ODM/EMS suppliers for IoT module manufacturing, such as BYD Electronics, TDG-Tech and Qisda, are mainly from Mainland China and Taiwan.

Among traditional EMS companies, Zollner, Jabil and USI led the top IoT module OEMs in their global expansion.

Lam added that manufacturing cost is still one of the key elements of an IoT module’s cost structure, apart from the cost of the components.

He explained that leading OEMs are growing rapidly in China, and they are likely to predominantly hire manufacturing partners that have production sites within the country.

“However, we observed that OEMs also hired EMSs with global production sites, such as production facilities in Mexico or Brazil to cater to the North America and LATAM markets. We forecast the manufacturing capacity utilization in India, Southeast Asia and LATAM will continue to grow given the significant increase in IoT module applications in these markets,” Lam continued.

Looking ahead

Commenting on the outlook for IoT module manufacturing, senior analyst Soumen Mandal said the firm expects outsourced manufacturing shipments to grow at a CAGR of 17% between 2021 and 2026.

He added that the soaring IoT module market, driven by innovation and digital transformation, especially in the enterprise segment, will play a pivotal role in IoT module manufacturing.

“IoT module players may focus on building platforms and services instead of manufacturing IoT modules as they present recurring revenue generation opportunities. This will also be an opportunity for ODM/EMS players to increase their footprint in the IoT module market.”

Soumen Mandal

“However, module players will try to increase control over the supply chain and look for vertical integration even for small components. This will help IoT module players reduce costs and remain competitive in the market," he cautioned.

“With higher demand in the market, top OEM players are also looking to expand their EMS supplier base to tap global markets,” Mandal concluded.

The post ODM and EMS capture over half of the global cellular IoT module market appeared first on FutureIoT.

“LoRa Alliance members, working with their customers identified a new opportunity to enhance ease-of-use,” said Donna Moore, CEO and chairwoman of the LoRa Alliance.

“By doing the work to develop a standardised application payload codec API, we are greatly simplifying the onboarding process, making it easier to integrate and deploy devices, and thereby facilitating massive LoRaWAN deployments.”

Donna Moore

She posits that this new specification eliminates yet another barrier to massive IoT with a new standards-based approach.

LoRaWAN payload codec API specification

When using LoRaWAN to transport application payloads, messages are very compactly encoded to minimize bandwidth usage. As messages reach the application server, they must be decoded to be read and processed.

Previously, each device manufacturer or application developer had to write a specific codec for each device and application platform pair, which created friction for device onboarding.

With the new payload codec API specification, a codec can be developed once and used on any application platform, achieving considerable savings in terms of reduced complexity and accelerated time to market.

The LoRaWAN Payload Codec API standardises an API for the JavaScript codecs for LoRaWAN devices to enable adoption by both device makers and application server vendors.

A standard codec provides the capability to decode uplinks/downlinks and to encode downlinks, allowing new LoRaWAN devices to be easily integrated into any compatible platform.

The post New LoRaWAN payload codec API to enable massive IoT appeared first on FutureIoT.

One such recent innovation is the Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (ASRS), which has seen accelerated by pandemic-mandated measures such as social distancing, border closures, and remote work.

ReportLinker forecasts the global market for ASRS is estimated to reach US$10.5 billion by 2027, up from US$6.8 billion in 2020. In Asia Pacific, ASRS is projected to reach US$1.2 billion by 2027, led by countries such as Australia, India, and South Korea.

Seeing the opportunity, cube storage automation company, AutoStore opened its office in Singapore to address the market opportunities in Southeast Asia. It also has operations in Japan and South Korea.

“We have already witnessed the rising demand for automated warehouse solutions in Asia Pacific. With Southeast Asia being one of AutoStore's core markets in Asia Pacific, it makes perfect sense to expand from Singapore with a team of capable people. I am confident that Clement will add value to AutoStore, and be the anchor for our expanding team," said Philipp Schitter, vice president of business of development for APAC at AutoStore.

AutoStore will vie for the business with competitors Kardex, Vallen, Muratec and Hai Robotics to name a few.

Recent deployments

According to Mordor Intelligence, many of the food and beverage industry companies have recognized the advantages provided by the ASRS systems and have increased their focus towards market adoption.

In Australia Cadbury Schweppes upgraded its national distribution centre in Melbourne. The upgrade resulted in a 20% productivity improvement to its warehouse's automated storage and retrieval system while maintaining full distribution capability. It involved refurbishing and upgrading four ASRS cranes and modernising the distribution centre's conveyor and sortation system.

South Korea has always been one of the world's top automotive manufacturing countries and one of the largest automotive exporters since the 1990s. Eco-friendly vehicles, including electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, and fuel-cell electric vehicles, are expected to be the fastest-growing automotive end-user segment in South Korea during the forecast period. This provides a massive opportunity for automation in the automotive industry in the country.

With Japan’s adoption of lean manufacturing concepts in intralogistics, the close-knitted structure allowed the nation to adopt AS/RS systems at every level, economic and efficient.

Indonesia has recorded increased robotic usage for industrial work. Since Japan is both its supplier and consumer, Indonesia is expected to benefit from the trade with Japan. Thus, increasing the demand for automation in the region.

The post AutoStore enters SEA ASRS market appeared first on FutureIoT.

Around the same period, Shenzhen announced plans to deploy 4,526 smart poles in 2020, rising to 24,00 by 2022.

Smart poles are multi-functional aggregation points for smart urban infrastructure, built on top of smart streetlights and connected utility poles. ABI Research forecasts that by 2030 the installed base of smart poles will exceed 10.8 million globally, with system revenues amounting to US$60 billion.

“The relevance of smart poles for smart cities is huge. They offer an efficient, scalable, and modular framework for deploying the whole spectrum of smart urban infrastructure, ranging from 5G small cells and Wi-Fi hotspots to surveillance and traffic cameras, signage and information displays, air quality and flood monitoring solutions, and charging points for 2 and 4-wheel vehicles, drones, and handsets including renewable energy generation,” says Dominique Bonte, VP End markets and verticals at ABI Research.

“However, the main driver behind smart pole deployments is the need for cellular network densification in the form of 5G and future 6G small cells and the use of mmWave radio spectrum. As such, the telco ecosystem is expected to at least partially fund the additional smart cities functionality embedded in smart poles.”

Typical barriers slowing down smart pole adoption include issues related to co-ownership and management (design, maintenance, backhaul cost sharing), conflicting priorities and agendas, sensor data privacy concerns, and the lack of awareness of city governments about the many benefits offered by smart poles in terms of cost savings, deployment time, scaling opportunities, and future-proof modularity.

Consequently, deployments are only expected to gather momentum towards the end of this decade.

Competitive landscape

Key vendors in the smart pole ecosystem include Ubicquia, Verizon, Huawei, Signify, Nokia/LuxTurrim5G, and ELKO EP, next to a range of smart streetlight suppliers venturing into smart pole technologies.

Main initiatives include the EU’s Humble Lamppost Project and deployments by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, Los Angeles, Munich, and Leuven. In addition, cities in India (Bhopal, New Delhi, and Indore) have implemented smart pole projects.

The post Smart poles are key to smart city evolution appeared first on FutureIoT.

Industry 4.0 initiatives across various regions such as; China and Europe are the most important key drivers of IoT implementation, thereby, benefitting the market in the forecast period. According to Accenture, 60% of manufacturing organisations are already involved in IoT projects, and more than 30% are at a nascent stage.

With rising urbanisation and population, several countries across the world are implementing Smart City projects. Connected devices like smart meters, smart lights, sensors, and others are helping to enhance the efficiency of infrastructure and other services.

By the numbers

• The global IoT sensors market to secure US$173.7 Billion by 2032
• The IoT sensors industry to exhibit a CAGR of 20.3% from 2022-to 2032
• The accelerometers segment is to experience a 20.7% growth rate during the forecast period
• The consumer electronics segment is to exhibit a CAGR of 21.4% from 2022-to 2032
• Market in India to expand at 30.3% CAGR from 2022-2032
• The growth rate of China is projected at 22.2% from 2022-to 2032

“Favourable initiatives by governments such as smart city projects, across the globe are supporting the growth of IoT-based equipment. Governments are seeking innovation in areas such as energy conservation, smart traffic management, security system improvements, and others. Such actions are likely to offer various remunerative opportunities to the market in the forecast period,” Fact.MR analyst.

Competitive landscape

Key players in the global IoT sensors market are focusing on product development and carrying out various advanced research and development programs. Enterprises are making several efforts to collaborate with various technology providers to give innovative results. Recent key developments among players are:

• In February 2022, Siemens updated its NX Software under the Xcelerator portfolio, with attributes like intelligence-based design. This update allows the application to use AI and modern simulation technologies, offering efficient insights to consumers.
• In January 2022, PTC disclosed an alliance with the Schaeffler Group. It is a Germany-based manufacturer that implements an absolute IT landscape. The new partnership focuses to support Schaeffler’s initiatives for digital twin and visualization of 3D models.

The post Business opportunities for IoT sensors market through to 2032 appeared first on FutureIoT.

Market research firm Fact.MR forecasts the global heat pump water heater market to reach US$1.6 billion by 2022, up 12.5% from 2021 levels. The firm is forecasting a more modest 5-year CAGR of 6.7% with the market reaching US$3.08 billion by 2032.

Demand for heat pump water heaters has increased, registering a historical CAGR of 2.0% from 2017 to 2021. Strict governmental regulations and policies to curb emissions from HVAC equipment across the residential and commercial sectors will augment product penetration.

Governments across major regions including North America and Asia Pacific are retrofitting heating & cooling equipment across buildings to meet their emission targets, will further boost the technology advancements.

Sustainable technology boosting demand for smart solutions

The rising need for sustainable technologies from the residential sector will bolster the product requirement. Many governments around the globe are implementing various policies and schemes to promote the distribution of clean technologies in the residential and commercial sectors, improving the technology perception.

Additionally, stringent emission norms and regulations will compel constructors to install energy-efficient and renewable technologies will stimulate the heat pump water heater market demand.

 “The integration of heat pump water heater with IoT helps in tracking the abnormalities in heat pump water heaters, subsequently reducing system failure. Thus, the integration is expected to provide lucrative opportunities for the growth of the Heat Pump Water Heater market during the forecast period,” noted the analyst.

Competitive landscape

Penetrating new geographies, collaborating with government agencies or service providers and rebranding initiatives comprise some major strategies adopted by prominent Heat Pump Water Heater Service providers. Some prominent market developments are as follows:

In August 2020, Panasonic Corporation partnered with Systemair on technology to launch heating and cooling products for offering its customers with more options related to HVAC products, including heat pumps. Both companies will have separate sales channels and branding for these products.

In August 2020, Bosch Thermotechnology launched the Bosch Tronic 3000, a line of electric instantaneous water heaters that significantly reduce hot water wait times in light commercial applications. The new series, which includes four new types, is the first stage in Bosch’s intended cutting-edge, new dynamic electric instantaneous water heater portfolio.

In July 2020, Daikin launched Daikin SmartSource, a dedicated outdoor air system (DOAS) for heat pumps that enables efficient and cost-effective cooling and heating in all conditions using 100% fresh outside air. It also taps a water source heat pump's hot gas reheat coil in addition to the unit's primary DX coil; to enhance the efficiency of the heat pump.

The post IoT drives head pump water market appeared first on FutureIoT.

The award recognises companies from all sectors which implemented the most creative and effective solutions using IoT and telematics technologies. This year saw projects from no less than 24 countries compete for the “project of the year” title, with the winners delivering efficiency and cash savings measured in millions of dollars.

The IoT project of the year winners were selected by an international jury of internet of things (IoT) experts, assessing entries in categories ranging from cold chain transportation and long-haul shipping to agriculture and public safety. The IoT project of the year award is software and hardware agnostic, and open to any company.

The winning projects show a wide array of business solutions, from reducing waiting times in cold-chain management in UAE, to tracking the railway construction wagons in Switzerland preventing cargo and vehicle theft in Mexico or Thailand, and reducing fuel consumption by 30%-50% for fleets in Central Asia, South America and Africa, optimising staff transportation and associated costs in Sri Lanka, developing GPS tracking in agriculture in Israel or enabling driver safety monitoring in remote areas with severe weather conditions in the Arctic. 

The IoT project of the year award demonstrates how fast IoT and telematics are developing and shows how innovative applications change not only a specific business, but also our everyday lives. 

Aliaksandr Kuushynau, head of Wialon, Gurtam said,“Telematics today is becoming embedded into an increasing number of industries across the globe. The flexibility of the technology means solutions are limited only by users’ creativity.

“And the IoT project of the year contest highlights the best industry solutions that have been delivered over the past year – inspiring businesses to become more efficient through IoT.”

Aliaksandr Kuushynau

IoT Project of the Year 2022 Winners

Cold chain transportation and Community Choice. MaliaTec (Lebanon) -Learn more.

The solution allowed the carrier to reduce waiting times and increase the number of delivery windows to four per day, significantly higher than industry standard of two.

Ready-mix concrete. Geoservice - Learn more.

The solution significantly improved the level of transparency, control and automation keeping dispatchers and clients updated on 500 orders daily.

Long-haul shipping. Cobertura Total en Telemetría (Mexico) -Learn more.

Accident monitoring system with AI cameras for a transportation company in Mexico can determine responsibilities in accidents and identify poor control and driver management.

Fuel transportation and storage. Geoservice -Learn more.

The fleet management and fuel consumption monitoring solution made 30-50% in fuel savings. 

Construction and demolition. Tracking Africa (South Africa) -Learn more.

The fuel monitoring system saved 4,500 litres a month from theft.

Public transport. KLOUDIP (Sri Lanka) -Learn more.

The IoT technology helps save $12,500 per month by optimising staff transportation and associated costs.

Agriculture.Ananas Global (Israel) -Learn more.

A GPS tracking solution for agriculture management will soon be launched internationally.

Public safety. MONTRANS -Learn more.

A driver safety monitoring system for an Arctic-based transportation company ensuring safe transportation in remote areas with severe weather conditions.

Local deliveries. Ruptela (Lithuania) -Learn more.

The GPS fleet tracking system for the Thailand Post Distribution ensured authorized vehicle use, reduced theft, improved driver behaviour and reduced fuel consumption.

Special recognition. Afritrack (Tanzania) -Learn more.

Adriver risk management system for a cargo management company that led to 90% of the incident alerts being addressed in a timely manner.

Special recognition. Traklink (Jordan) -Learn more.

Adriver behaviour monitoring solution that improved driving behaviour by 85%, decreased speeding by 90% and increased compliance with labour laws by 95%.

Special recognition. Gotthard Handels AG (Switzerland) -Learn more.

A LoRa asset tracking solution that improves railway wagon management and provides better customer service.

Andrei Liatsetski, jury chairman, and head of project implementation, Wialon, said, “Just looking at the logistics sector, this technology solves problems that cannot be addressed any other way. Businesses in this industry are exposed to numerous risks such as theft of vehicles, cargo and fuel and these risks can be monitored and mitigated using telematics and IoT technology.”

“IoT also allows fleet managers to reduce the cost of unplanned maintenance by monitoring all aspects of a vehicle’s performance to ensure remedies are in place before any malfunction occurs.”

The post IoT awards honours 12 telematics solutions for 2022 appeared first on FutureIoT.

The Lab aims to provide a platform for private, public, academia and the community to explore and be inspired by CHINT’s solutions through showcasing new leading-edge solutions – such as EV charging stations, intelligent water systems, photovoltaics, and more.

These leading smart energy technologies are relevant for all functions including the built environment, data centres, industrial, and smart cities. It will also address industry challenges such as Remote Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT).

The 400 square metre Lab will also be opened to customers in the region to experience live demonstrations and simulations of proof-of-concept.

The post New Lab to facilitate smart energy solution development appeared first on FutureIoT.

Frost & Sullivan’s recent analysis finds that carriers and insurance companies’ emphasis on risk management requires telematics solutions on trucks that carry dangerous or expensive goods. This market will reach 2.59 million units by 2027 from 1.12 million in 2021, registering commendable growth at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15%.

“More than 62% of freight transportation is through the road in Brazil. This highlights the importance of the truck fleet in the country and the urgent need for telematics adoption to reduce the total cost of ownership,” said Ingrid Schumann, mobility industry analyst at Frost & Sullivan.

“Additionally, although the telematics market in Brazil is still focused on track and trace solutions, other segments, such as driver and vehicle management, are increasing in demand.”

Ingrid Schumann

Schumann added: “The commercial vehicle segment in Brazil will grow rapidly in the next decade due to the expansion of agribusiness and eCommerce. This will positively impact the telematics market as these new vehicles represent opportunities for telematics service providers (TSPs), original equipment manufacturers, and start-ups to increase their market shares.”

To reap the benefits of the growing Brazilian connected trucks telematics sector:

TSPs should invest in solutions that impact fuel consumption, such as vehicle and driver management, in addition to routing.

Fleet companies should demand an open telematics system as it offers benefits such as truck data that will be easily read and understood.

TSPs that work with last-mile deliveries should invest in solutions requested by the end customer, such as routing, estimated time of delivery, and order status checks. For this type of product portfolio, it is vital to invest in logistics integration.

The post Drivers of telematics adoption among trucks in Brazil appeared first on FutureIoT.

Recognising this trend, the Commission is calling for organisations to take advantage of the decentralisation trends through IoT and edge computing capabilities, and leverage the expertise of its communities in the physical, industrial world and in digital world to bring the best of both worlds towards Europe’s next-generation IoT and edge computing infrastructure.

IDC says the IoT market in Asia/Pacific (excluding Japan) will continue to grow in 2022 by 9.1%, accelerating from 6.9% in 2021. Headwinds such as semiconductor shortages and supply chain disruption caused by geopolitical tensions have limited the growth in 2022 to single digits, and rising inflation may dampen growth.

However, rising demand for remote operations, better network coverage, and the deployment of commercial 5G and testbeds are driving IoT adoption in the region. IDC expects spending on IoT to reach $436 billion in 2026, with a CAGR of 11.8% for the period 2021-2026.

IDC’s research director for Asia-Pacific, Bill Rojas, says the ongoing deployment and expansion of 5G will drive the growth of connectivity use cases that utilize massive narrowband IoT as well as wideband/broadband IoT such as 4K IP cameras.

“Low Earth Satellites including nanosatellites and next-generation Very High Throughput Satellites will enable a wide range of remote connectivity uses cases relating to smart cities, environmental and sustainability monitoring, transportation infrastructure, energy and resources, and utilities.”

Bill Rojas

FutureIoT reached out to Kenny Ng, head of worldwide market development, network business division at Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise for his take on where IoT is headed in Asia.

Do you think a decoupling of IoT hardware from software would further accelerate the adoption of IoT in the enterprise or is this a case of a solution looking for a problem to solve?

Kenny Ng: IoT adoption requires a holistic approach to meeting business needs in the digital transformation process. It will require a solution-based approach rather than approaching it from the decoupling of hardware and software.

However, there are a few challenges to surmount for enterprises in the IoT sector, including having a short time to market, airtight security, a versatile update mechanism for hardware and software and mastering device management.

Businesses need to evaluate hardware and software IoT choices pragmatically for their needs, but finding a cost-effective product that satisfies all requirements can be difficult.

For IoT-related projects, knowing the specific use case is essential to identifying the most applicable hardware. Careful software selection is also important, centring around ease of integration and maintenance.

What business problems/customer expectations are ideally suited for IoT?

Kenny Ng: IoT serves as a critical foundation and enabler for digital business processes. It also offers enormous value to businesses undergoing digital transformation. The connectivity provides also benefits enterprises that rely on collecting and processing large amounts of real-time data.

In a world where efficiency is key, IoT is best suited to enable enterprises to harness the data available at their fingertips to derive value-driven insights that can optimise workflows for better outcomes and accelerate business transformation.

As the pandemic boosted the digital transformation and sprouted the number of devices connected through IoT everywhere, the public sector saw an opportunity to leverage IoT capabilities to meet customer expectations and enhance processes and efficiency in everyday life.

IoT has the capability to transform the public sector, by significantly reshaping how governments keep track of data and information and harnessing mobility, automation and data analytics.

For you, what would constitute next-generation (next-gen) IoT?

Kenny Ng: Next-generation IoT would need to be holistic and enable organisations to scale up their digitalisation efforts securely with ease to welcome the age of digital networking. According to IoT analytics, there will be 30.9 billion IoT devices by 2030, making 75% of total devices.

With the growth of mobility and IoT, security is skyrocketing to become a top priority as networks become even more exposed to potential bad actors. And, with cyber-attacks increasing in volume and in complexity, unregulated devices can introduce security risks and chew up bandwidth unbeknownst to network operators.

With the sheer number of devices in a connected network, configuring and managing so many individual devices is unrealistic. Approaches like IoT containment must thus become more commonplace, where devices can be efficiently and safely onboarded via automation.

The ability to rapidly identify and classify every object connected to the network and automatically provision a configuration associated with a specific device, alongside virtual segmentation, are also crucial characteristics that must be present in next-gen IoT. Monitoring the objects is vital so that immediate action can be taken if there is unusual activity on the network, thus containing the impact and scale of a potential cyberattack.

Do you think culture and mindset are mature enough to accept these next-gen IoT solutions/technologies to realise real business value today?

Kenny Ng: While next-generation IoT does pose a complex challenge for enterprises, it offers massive versatility in the automation and optimisation of business processes.

Particularly after COVID-19, digitalisation has been at the top of many organisational agendas and has become a widely recognised priority in industries across the board. Though risk-averse enterprises may hesitate to make the leap when it comes to emerging technologies, organisations with a disruptor and agile mindset will be able to effect change and realise these benefits. This change in mindset must start from the top, with business leaders and decision-makers leading by example before it can become a part of their corporate DNA.

Once culture and mindsets have matured, then can concrete actions be taken to enact definite change. To unlock the potential of next-gen IoT, time and resources must be invested into building a skilled IoT workforce, such that the technology can be fully and strategically harnessed to drive core business competencies.

For those who may be limited by budget or resource constraints, an intelligent network fabric tackles this pain point by automating various manual tasks to simplify a network’s design, deployment, and operations. Automation also reduces the risks of vulnerabilities associated with manual errors.

How do you create an environment that will encourage IoT adoption and innovation within an enterprise? Who needs to own it?

Kenny Ng: As mentioned, enterprises will need to have the mindset for accepting change and embracing innovation, and this needs to start with the leaders. They will also need to invest in training a robust IT team to aid the secure operation and maintenance of IoT deployments.

The responsibility will lie with the senior leadership of the enterprises to instigate change from the top-down. IT leaders must transparently communicate both benefits and challenges of IoT adoption and push for ongoing education to overcome employees’ inertia towards change and help them understand the impact and implications of the organisation adopting IoT.

For instance, getting the message across that IoT help automate operations and streamline infrastructure, which in turn, can ease the workloads of employees may help to get their buy-ins.

The key also lies in cultivating an organisational culture and mentality that is comfortable with calculated risks. Every new technological adoption comes with its own sets of associated risks, but organisations that stay ready to mitigate risks will enhance their agility and responsiveness, and in turn their ability to compete.

Being comfortable with risk will also encourage new methods of trying out things, ultimately forming an enterprise environment that drives business innovation and constant evolution.

The post Shaping the digital future with the Next-Gen of IoT appeared first on FutureIoT.

Low Power Wide Area (LPWA) network technologies, such as 3GPP standards like LTE-M and NB-IoT, offer long-range communications with broad coverage, the ability to handle a large number of devices and low power consumption to IoT devices to operate for 10 years or more.

Relay allows for battery-operated, easy-to-deploy network coverage extensions at a fraction of the cost of adding additional gateways.

Challenges however remain. Participants in a VDC Research-sponsored study, identified several challenges related to IoT system development using LPWA including 1) minimizing power consumption; 2) securing IoT data; 3) lowering project development time, and 4) reducing the total cost of ownership.

Working on the problem, the global association of companies backing the open LoRaWAN standard for the internet of things (IoT) low-power wide-area networks (LPWANs), the LoRa Alliance has expanded the LoRaWAN link-layer standard with the addition of a relay specification.

This allows LoRaWAN to achieve excellent coverage in use cases requiring deep indoor or underground coverage, or relay data on satellite-connected LoRaWAN devices within proximity.

“LoRa Alliance members identified that end users in specific markets needed a solution to achieve full network coverage due to environmental challenges surrounding their deployments,” said Donna Moore, CEO and chairwoman of the LoRa Alliance.

“With relay, we’re providing a standardized solution that allows for full end-to-end communications in the extremely challenging underground, metal and concrete environments where sensor signals could use a boost or redirect to reach either the gateway or end-device.”

Donna Moore

She added that the new relay feature is a direct response to market needs and provides an essential building block to enable massive IoT.

Relay use cases

One of the first markets to adopt relay is metering in the utility sector. Utilities represent a massive opportunity for IoT, with VDC Research estimating that worldwide LPWAN communication services revenue will reach $2.47 billion by 2025.

Adding relay to the LoRaWAN standard to achieve coverage for even the most difficult cases (e.g., meters inside metal closets) significantly strengthens LoRaWAN’s market position in metering and utilities, and more broadly across key verticals including smart cities and buildings, and industrial IoT.

Using a relay is ideal for any application monitoring static assets in challenging environments.

LoRaWAN relay feature

The LoRaWAN standard is proven for long-range communications, however, there can be physical limits to where LPWAN communications can reach, such as around turns, underground, where a signal needs to be reflected/relayed into a specific location, etc. LoRaWAN relays allow signals to go where they physically couldn’t go before.

The LoRaWAN TS011-1.0.0 LoRaWAN Relay Specification document describes the relaying mechanism used to transport LoRaWAN frames bi-directionally between an end-device and gateway/network server via a battery-operated node. By enabling relay, the device can transfer LoRaWAN frames between an end device and network when there is insufficient coverage from the gateway.

This specification enables Network coverage extension through the battery-operated relay and maintains compatibility with the LoRaWAN Link-Layer standard in terms of protocol and security. The new relay nodes are battery-powered and can be installed anywhere and do not require electricity or internet connectivity. This makes them a very easy-to-deploy, low cost and low-power way to extend network coverage, without needing to add additional gateways. Relay endpoints allow LoRaWAN to provide coverage of all devices with only a nominal cost of installation.

The post Relay feature extends LoRaWAN coverage for metering, utilities, smart cities and industrial applications appeared first on FutureIoT.

This is the case of the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government's Flood Control System in the Jakarta Smart City application. Developed by Jakarta Smart City in collaboration with the Jakarta Water Resource Service (DSDA) to optimise flood risk management in Jakarta, the project involved the use of IoT, AI and ML as part of an early warning system against the risk of floods in the city.

As more organisations deploy IoT in commercial and industrial environments, the amount of data that is derived from these devices and sensors may prove important in improving quality, operational efficiency, and in the case of Jakarta – saving lives and property from natural disasters.

Kenneth Koh, head of industry consulting at SAS Institute, argues that the speed and accuracy with which an IoT system reacts to its environment is critical. However, with the devices and other sensors in a typical system generating overwhelming amounts of data, traditional tools and methods can slow down the process of making sense of that data.

Can you explain what AI-embedded IoT is?

Kenneth Koh: Processing data at or near the edge allows IoT systems to be nimbler and more impactful. But the quality of a data-led action is only as meaningful as the quality of the data-based insights it is acting on.

IoT by itself is not new to manufacturers. Manufacturers have been collecting and storing sensor data from machines for decades. The value proposition for them is in AIoT -analysing that data, at the edge in real-time, using AI and ML to drive efficiencies and value.

By equipping IoT systems with AI capabilities, a wide variety of data, both structured and unstructured, can be processed on the edge. High-quality insights are made available at increased speeds for systems to act on.

AI-embedded IoT and how it unlocks business value

Kenneth Koh: AI-embedded IoT improves operational efficiency and productivity while reducing costs. It also drives innovation towards better customer service, better products, and faster product deployment to the market.

Embedding AI in IoT devices enables edge computing, allowing for the deployment of IoT systems in situations where consistent 5G networks are unavailable. For example, logistics providers can use IoT sensors in their transportation fleet to monitor the internal and external conditions in their vehicles, even in remote parts of the latter's routes.

Aside from edge computing, AI-embedded IoT utilises machine learning to develop actionable insights from the terabytes of data an IoT system generates daily. In the example above, data collected from these sensors are sent to the cloud in real-time, enabling technicians to address vehicle breakdowns more accurately and much faster.

Manufacturers can also use these insights to predict when a particular factory system or piece of equipment would fail, allowing technicians to implement preventive maintenance. Proactive detection of faulty equipment saves precious man-hours while reducing costly unscheduled downtimes.

On the retail side, insights from IoT systems can be used to identify optimal prices for products and minimise disruption to their supply chains.

ML and its role in IoT analytics

Kenneth Koh: Machine learning is the edge AI-embedded IoT has over other IoT deployments. Systems can learn as it processes sensor-generated data using diverse advanced analytical methods such as decision trees, random forests, gradient boosting, neural networks, support vector machines, and factorization machines.

This creates savings for enterprises in terms of man-hours and specialists in the organisation. Without the need to extensively train AI systems, specialists can focus on other critical tasks as non-data scientists can access, view, and process data.

Machine learning capabilities also increase the range of data that AI systems can access and process: visual images online and offline, text, and even verbal speech. The increased volume and quality of available data increases the value and impact of insights derived from it.

Combined, these machine learning capabilities enable both increased speed and volume of data processing, enabling real-time actionable insights which are crucial in many IoT systems.

How AIoT supported Jakarta Smart City: Using SAS's AI-powered platforms, Jakarta Smart City was able to integrate multi-source data in real-time and provides advanced analytics with IoT, machine learning & AI technology to provide emergency/disaster predictive capability and optimisation to serve the public. The result is a flood emergency response to mitigate the risk of floods in Jakarta.

Given that IoT historically falls under operational technology, who should own the securing of IoT?

Kenneth Koh: The introduction of IoT is blurring the lines between IT and OT across enterprises. Sensors and devices are connected to the network to create new systems and improve processes. At the same time, this convergence exposes traditional OT equipment and systems to threats they were previously insulated from.

The fact is that true device security is a combination of technologies, processes, and best practices. Thus, securing IoT systems should not be the sole domain of either OT or IT teams but engendering closer, more effective collaboration between both.

However, this is easier said than done, as IT security teams and OT security teams often don't speak the same language and find it difficult to understand each other's point of view.

Responsibilities are distributed quite differently; priorities often diverge and regulations governing OT security and IT security can sometimes contradict one another. Gaining an overview of all assets within the given environment makes clear what assets and processes must not fail under any circumstances.

By doing this, organisations can establish and practice unified cybersecurity that ensures the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data.

Name one best practice for IT and operational technology staff working together.

Kenneth Koh: In manufacturing, data is very time sensitive. For example, if the chemical concentration of a process is drifting away from optimal, the engineer may have only minutes to react to save many tons of product. 

In many semiconductor processes, engineers have only seconds to react. In such situations, Analytics needs to move to the ‘edge’ which means the data must be analysed and decisioned at the machine or on the shop floor, not in the back office or engineering.

This requires the ability to do analytics wherever it is needed –at the machine, on the production floor, in the cloud or the back office.

One of the major challenges faced is data silos. For organisations that are not implementing IT/OT convergence, due to a patchwork of unintegrated or partially integrated apps and enterprise systems. Without careful planning, introducing new sources of data (e.g. IoT sensors) will compound the problem.

Implementing a data integration platform to connect IoT systems with organisations' existing technology stack breaks down silos between historical and future data while providing all teams the same access through a single point of control. This ensures that IT and OT teams are with the same page, establishing a foundation for better IT/OT convergence.

The post The value of AI in IoT analytics appeared first on FutureIoT.

Tiny Machine Learning, or TinyML, is typically used for automated tasks involving sensory data. As TinyML vendors continue to democratise Machine Learning (ML) at a rapid pace, ABI Research forecasts that TinyML Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) revenue will exceed US$220 million in 2022 and become an important component from 2025 onward.

While total revenue will be dominated by chipset sales, as TinyML device shipments continue to grow, the TinyML SaaS and professional service market have the potential to become a billion-dollar market by 2030.

The TinyML market has come a long way since ABI Research first analysed this market back in 2020. The TinyML Foundation, which gathers most of the main vendors in this space, has greatly expanded in recent years. And so have the applications of TinyML, with forest fire detection, shape detection, and seizure detection among some of the most spectacular use cases.

Given how central environmental sensors are to TinyML, the possibilities are extensive. David Lobina, artificial intelligence & machine learning research analyst at ABI Research, explains, “Any sensory data from an environment can probably have an ML model applied to that data.”

He listed out some of the most common applications including Word Spotting (the identification of keywords in text or utterances), Object Recognition (the detection of a person by a sensor), Object Counting (a sensor that counts the number of people inside a building), and Audio or Voice Detection, (as in the models that activate upon hearing ‘Hey, Google’).

Ambient sensing and audio processing remain the most common applications in TinyML, with sound architectures holding an almost 50% market share in 2022. Most of these applications employ either a microcontroller (MCU) or an Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC). The personal and work devices sector will be the largest increase soon.

With the myriad possibilities, there are also potential pitfalls, but for which, ABI Research believes there are well-identified solutions. “The physical constraints on TinyML devices are genuine. These devices favour small and compact ML models, which call for innovation at the software solutions level for specific use cases. And software providers will be the most active in the TinyML market,” says Lobina.

Software providers include leaders such as Edge Impulse, SensiML, Neuton, Nota, and Deeplite.

ABI Research recommends vendors concentrate on those applications that TinyML has a clear value proposition worked out before production.

Lobina says the role of software is crucial, and vendors must develop software tools to automate TinyML itself, a recursive process that necessitates employing TinyML applications to automate other TinyML applications.

“And finally, new technology will be required to bring about ever more sophisticated TinyML models. Neuromorphic computing and chips, along with the corresponding technique of Spiking Neural Networks, would bode well for the future,” he concludes.

The post ABI Research predicts the growing importance of TinyML SaaS appeared first on FutureIoT.

ABI Research says these headwinds are pushing security higher on the enterprise priority list as organisations seek cost-effective and agile cryptographic applications to protect increasingly distributed and ephemeral corporate assets.

In response, hardware security modules are changing rapidly to meet these new demands.

“The Hardware Security Module (HSM) market was already on track for a shake-up, as new business models and new competitors vied to take advantage of emerging opportunities around enterprise digital transformation and cloud migration,” states Michela Menting, cybersecurity applications research director at ABI Research.

She added that presently enterprises are tightening budgets amid worries about their business stemming from high inflation and a potential recession.

“For HSM vendors, the market opportunity is clearly within the cloud, as enterprises will opt out of owning expensive HSMs in favour of Operational Expenditure (OPEX) service-based models,” she continued.

Stuart Carlaw, chief research officer, concludes, “We should heed one of the most important business lessons learned during 2020—that technology will not be a casualty of uncertainty, but rather a tool to overcome it.

“Companies that embrace, invest in, and deploy technology wisely will undoubtedly emerge stronger and better prepared to handle the next spate of challenges on the horizon, no matter the weather.”

Stuart Carlaw

The post Global macroeconomic headwinds are reshaping security spending appeared first on FutureIoT.

By integrating their technologies is said to give organisations advanced tools to remotely manage the security of operational technology and industrial control systems from anywhere and on any device.

“Critical infrastructure across the world is under increasing threat and must be modernized to realize the benefits of digital transformation. Like many other industries, there is a myriad of reasons forcing industrial facilities to adopt new technology – from the cost and business efficiencies they bring to meeting the needs of a highly-skilled workforce that are often stretched too thin,” said Bill Moore, founder and CEO at XONA.

Nozomi Networks solutions support more than 74 million devices in thousands of installations across energy, manufacturing, mining, transportation, utilities, building automation, smart cities and critical infrastructure. Its solutions automate the complex work of inventorying, visualising and monitoring industrial control networks through the innovative use of artificial intelligence.

What the partnership means

With pre-integrated and tested solutions that reduce time to market and increase value, combining Nozomi Networks and XONA technology addresses the complex challenge of securing remote access in critical infrastructures.

Comprehensive network visibility is automated, therefore enabling network administrators to balance priorities in a more efficient manner while ensuring the utmost protection with granular security.

“A big part of helping organisations modernize their critical infrastructure is enabling user access from anywhere, on any device. It’s essential for any business in the twenty-first century, and industrial facilities are no different,” said Chet Namboodri, senior vice president of partner alliances at Nozomi Networks.

“Adding user access to critical infrastructure is not easy – it’s usually too costly and complex, or vulnerable to attack. But XONA has figured out how to make user access frictionless and secure. Integrating our technologies together provides immense value to our joint customers.”

Technology agnostic and configured in minutes, XONA’s proprietary protocol isolation and Zero Trust architecture immediately eliminate common attack vectors, while giving authorized users seamless and secure control of operational technology from any location or device.

The post Partnership aims to secure critical infrastructure appeared first on FutureIoT.

Based on a new architecture developed by CEA-Leti, the module’s L-band chip is a key hardware component that enables Astrocast customers to cost-efficiently communicate with their assets in the field via its network.

It was completed earlier this year in an expedited project between the research institute and Astrocast, and is embedded in Astrocast’s RF module, called Astronode S.

The chip’s architecture is split over the RF core and digital processing and control units. It is fully optimised to support Astrocast’s dedicated bidirectional ground-to-satellite protocol and provides an optimal trade-off between link budget and low-power and low-cost constraints.

The chip also embeds all low-earth orbit (LEO), satellite-specific features such as satellite detection and robustness to Doppler shift.

The miniaturised, surface-mount module communicates with terrestrial devices via Astrocast’s constellation of LEO satellites. Using the L-band spectrum, the network primarily targets maritime, oil & gas, agriculture, land transport and environmental applications in which ubiquitous coverage is required.

“Terrestrial IoT networks cover only about 15% of the planet, which leaves vast remote and rural areas where our global satellite network provides coverage that is crucial for our target markets,” said Laurent Vieira de Mello, Astrocast’s COO.

“Leveraging its expertise embedded in a preliminary version of the RF chip, CEA-Leti developed its chip and delivered the final prototype to meet our requirements and time-to-market goals.”

“They managed the chip technology transfer to our industrialisation, qualification and production partner,” he continued.

The project’s critical time-to-market window was managed through a flexible collaboration model covering both prototype and industrialization phases.

CEA-Leti’s industrial tester used for characterisation was key to accelerating from prototype to production, which enabled prototype characterisation in parallel on the tester and in the lab, Durr explained.

“This process provided a short-loop debug capability with all skills available at CEA-Leti, and enabled us to deliver fully validated inputs to Astrocast’s industrialization partner for an easier industrial test-program development,” said Michel Durr, business development manager at CEA-Leti.

The low-energy, compact, surface-mount Astronode S module for highly integrated, battery-powered IoT systems offers a total cost of ownership up to three times lower than traditional satellite IoT alternatives.

The post Chip to enable ultralow-power IoT connectivity appeared first on FutureIoT.

However, hardware costs will drop drastically as the industry moves away from proprietary systems to reduce vendor lock-in, increase interoperability, and reduce the initial costs of investments.

As a result, much of the industry, including many traditional hardware vendors, is looking to diversify its portfolio and complement hardware sales by monetizing deployments through services models augmented by additional features such as analytics and device management.

ABI Research forecasts RTLS service revenue to be worth US$3.7 billion in 2022 and will rise to US$24.9 billion by 2030, at a CAGR of 26.8%.

“As RTLS hardware, such as tags and anchors, become increasingly affordable, hardware revenues are expected to become less reliable. As a result, many RTLS vendors that traditionally focus on hardware offerings are looking to find value in an increasing volume of deployments, even as hardware revenues decrease,” explains Mark Qi, a location technologies research analyst at ABI Research.

Competitive landscape

Service offerings can vary with many traditional hardware vendors. Kontakt.io, Estimote, and Quuppa now support software solutions. Beneficial features for enterprises looking to deploy RTLS include vertical-specific analytics, such as equipment usage metrics, footfall patterns or spaghetti diagrams, application integration, and device management to monitor tag activity and support system health. All these features can be provided as services from RTLS vendors.

While monetisation solutions vary greatly by vendor, they are primarily based on a per-tag subscription, allowing for consistent and scalable profits with larger, high-tag deployments. Some vendors are further diversifying.

For example, Centrak acquired system integrator Infinite Leap. Also, vendors of other hardware networks such as smart lighting provider Cooper Lighting and Wi-Fi network providers such as Cisco and Juniper Networks all offer RTLS platforms based on software integrations.

On the impact of RTLS deployments gaining momentum, Qi says, “The move to more service models is because of the wider adoption in the RTLS industry. This will be advantageous to end users by removing many major barriers to adoption. RTLS vendors will benefit from consistent revenue and a much larger market.”

The post RTLS solutions are dead. Long live RTLS services. appeared first on FutureIoT.

Speaking at the 2022 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC), Dr Zhang Shaoting, vice president and president of smart health business at SenseTime, introduced SenseTime’s comprehensive Smart Hospital Solution by depicting how the future healthcare landscape brings better patient experience, combined with real cases:

“Through conversations with the intelligent chatbot on a mobile phone, the patient was able to receive a recommendation for the most suitable department or doctor, as well as a complete appointment at home; after arriving at the hospital, the patient was able to follow the AR navigation function which indicated the best route and arrived at the destination without any hassles.”

Dr Zhang Shaoting

Based on deep learning algorithms, the AI diagnostic assistance software helps doctors quickly detect lesions, analyse the patient’s conditions, and plan for future treatments. Doctors can also simulate and assess a surgical plan through 3D visualized models, to better communicate with patients and their families.

The regional-level medical collaborative platform connects experts from different cities to discuss the case, analyse surgical difficulties and optimize treatment plans. During the rehabilitation phase, doctors can keep close track of patients’ conditions through intelligent follow-up and management systems.

Putting the smart in healthcare

Smart Hospital Solution has the capability to upgrade a hospital’s facilities with fully digitalised and intelligent processes including contactless temperature sensors and verification devices at entrances, effectively ensuring the safety and order of hospital admission.

The possibilities

Adhering to the “patient-centric, quality first” mission, SenseTime’s Smart Hospital Solution is designed to promote a new mode of healthcare and enhance various healthcare scenarios by providing the following services:

For medical professionals, the SenseCare Smart Health Platform provides high-performance clinical assistance covering multiple medical imaging modalities and body parts.

For patients, the Smart Outpatient Assistant simplifies outpatient procedures and communication processes to reduce waiting time and optimise the patient experience.

For hospital operators, the Smart Hospital Operation and Management service provides comprehensive digital and intelligent solutions for managing patients, hospital staff, space, and facilities.

For researchers, the Intelligent Clinical Research Platform provides a platform to accelerate innovation, elevate research efficiency and facilitate R&D projects across different research institutions.

For regional-level medical alliances, the Smart Medical Cloud Platform enables a more convenient and flexible remote diagnosis and patient referral to optimize the allocation of medical resources in the region. In addition, it also facilitates collaboration between hospitals of an alliance, making high-quality medical resources more accessible in grassroots healthcare institutions.

Actual use cases

Ruijin Hospital (one of China's most prominent hospitals): Its Pathology department has deployed the SenseCare Smart Health Platform to improve the efficiency and accuracy of diagnosis and treatment planning by doctors, and facilitate remote diagnosis across different branches

Qingdao West Coast New Area (China’s State-level new area): Deployed the SenseCare Smart Health Platform and the Smart Medical Cloud Platform to promote AI-enabled processing and interpretation of medical images at the regional level, contributing to the construction of a hierarchical medical treatment system and facilitating the allocation of regional medical resources

Xinhua Hospital (a leading hospital in China): Deployed the Smart Outpatient Assistant to streamline outpatient procedures and optimize patients’ experience

Xiangya Hospital (one of the earliest Western hospitals in China): Deployed the Intelligent Clinical Research Platform to accelerate innovation, elevate research efficiency and facilitate R&D projects, especially for multicenter research

Kiang Wu Hospital in Macau (one of the largest and oldest hospitals in Macau): Deployed the SenseCare Smart Health Platform to elevate clinical efficiency and accuracy for the Radiology department

The post Smart hospital solution to reshape the future of healthcare appeared first on FutureIoT.

As connectivity options become more robust, the world of IoT is no longer limited by geographic constraints. Satellite networks can now connect to existing terrestrial networks, expanding the world of IoT across land, sea and sky. Long range networks have significantly expanded tracking options. When paired with a system of connected sensors, this expanded network potential has created novel opportunities for IoT technology to make our planet smarter.       

By sea

A healthy ocean is critical to the future of our planet – both as the home to essential biomes and as a food for the world’s growing population. In fact, aquaculture continues to be one of the fastest-growing food production sectors according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. FAO predicts aquaculture production to increase 15 percent by 2030.

As demand for aquaculture grows, the health of our oceans and the marine life they sustain becomes even more important. A smart climate pilot program in New South Wales, Australia utilizes sensors from ICT International to monitor water quality in oyster farming systems. Water quality varies as a result of rainfall, sewage and flooding, impacting oyster health. Water sensors monitor quality by sensing salinity and temperature, and can communicate critical information, including ideal harvest window as well as alerting oyster growers when deteriorating conditions require estuary closure.

By air

Air quality is of utmost importance – both indoors and outside. The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the importance of indoor air quality. Whether at home, in the workplace or in healthcare and other facilities, people want to ensure that the air they are breathing is clean.

A school board in Montreal, Canada recently deployed an IoT solution from Milesight across more than 47,000 classrooms across the province of Quebec. The beauty of this deployment exists in its simplicity: deploying long-range sensors in each classroom consisted of an install time of only about five minutes per room. The sensors transmit data including CO2 level, humidity and temperature to gateways at five-minute intervals during school hours. This information is used to implement corrective measures when key thresholds are reached, ensuring fresh air is pumped to the classroom. The system also facilitates analysis of historical data, enabling facility managers to determine HVAC repair needs.

Air quality monitoring is particularly important in healthcare facilities. A university hospital in Paris recently piloted an air quality monitoring and contract tracing solution to control the spread of viruses. To simulate contact tracing, the pilot equipped staff and students with Bluetooth-enabled badges to wear while at the hospital. Sensors measured CO2 levels relative to occupancy rates, as well as ventilation shifts or malfunctions. The technology provides the ability to assess these factors to better predict – and looking forward, limit – the spread of viruses.

Outdoor air quality is a vital indication of the health of our planet. Wildfires can have a devastating impact on communities through burn damage as well as overall environmental impact. In an average year, wildfires add 13 billion metric tons of carbon to the atmosphere. IoT technology can be used to detect wildfires earlier, alerting authorities before fires rage out of control. For example, a solar-powered sensing system from Dryad can detect abnormal patterns of smoke, temperature, humidity and air pressure – alerting fire brigades within 30-60 minutes of the wildfire starting.

By land

According to the United Nations, the world’s population of 7.6 billion is expected to reach 8.6 billion by 2030, and 9.8 billion by 2050. Faced with a growing population, farmers are tasked with finding sustainable, efficient ways to ensure sufficient food production. From measuring growing conditions for crops to tracking livestock health, IoT enables farmers to identify efficiencies that maximize yield and encourage sustainable farming practices.

Australia-based Smart Paddock uses IoT-connected ear tags to monitor livestock and transmit real-time information to ranchers. The ear tags combine the long-distance, low-power capabilities of a network using LoRaWAN with a global positioning system (GPS) to track cattle location and behavior data – ensuring the herd is safe and healthy.

IoT sensors can also measure water usage and crop health to ensure plants are growing efficiently while minimizing water usage. Because soil is not homogenous, moisture levels vary, meaning different areas of a field may require more water than others. Sensoterra's sensors are equipped with soil probes, providing farmers with real-time soil moisture data.

A more sustainable planet

Ocean, sky and land conditions are all critical to overall environmental quality, and in turn, the quality of human life. Bolstered by IoT innovations, sensing and quickly responding to environmental shifts enables us to maintain the health of our planet.

The post Making our planet smarter with sustainable IoT applications appeared first on FutureIoT.

A slew of new sensing technologies and multi-function smart sensing devices are gaining traction and providing a path to smart sensing that will enable smart commercial buildings to best adapt to the changing demands from smart commercial building owners and tenants alike. 

ABI Research forecasts sensor shipments will grow from 18.5 million devices to surpass 300 million by 2030, a CAGR of 35%.

Enhancing the management of buildings

In the effort to facilitate a move back to the office, an array of competing approaches, technologies, and devices are vying to bring new levels of monitoring and control to building environments in a market where building owners, operators, and tenants are incentivized to make buildings more appealing.

“Traditionally, sensing in the commercial building sensing market has been tied to establish systems, such as heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), fire and safety, and access control, but a range of additional environmental sensing technologies, sensors, and devices are coming to market at a time of great upheaval in the commercial building market,” says Jonathan Collins, smart home & buildings research director at ABI Research.

Concerns over occupant safety, environmental impact efficiencies as well as more flexible space utilization are necessitating greater real-time building management intelligence. Increasingly valuable applications such as occupancy sensing can be supported by a host of sensing approaches, including microphones, cameras, motion sensors, pressure sensors, and even radar.  All deliver real-time insight into building usage, but sensor deployment can be selected related to the efficacy, cost, and end-user comfort. In addition, there are competing sensor technologies within each of those approaches, again with their own strengths and weaknesses.

While sensor players such as Bosch Sensortec and TDK Invensense target multiple markets with their offerings, more specialist players such as photonic product vendor Lumentum and AI intelligence player Ambarella have partnered to support the commercial building ToF sensing market. At the same time, emerging integrators such as Mindshare are leveraging feedback sensors into commercial building systems from players such as Skiply.

“As occupancy sensing, or air quality, or energy management, space utilization, and preventative maintenance push further into commercial building operations, systems integrators, building management providers, and sensor and device developers along with manufacturers will have to ensure they select and integrate the best technologies for as many applications as possible,” Collins concluded.

The post New sensing tech to make smart buildings adaptive to the new normal appeared first on FutureIoT.

"Technologies such as digital twins, smart streetlights, micro-grids, computer vision, smart city management platforms, and micro-mobility are all growing in popularity and can help with decarbonisation," said Dominique Bonte, vice president for verticals and end markets at ABI Research.

The research firm cited a couple of examples where these strategies have a direct impact on energy consumption, and they also encourage citizens to make a better choice to help their city decarbonise.

One is  London’s recent expansion of the ULEZ (Ultra Low Emission Zone) which uses a variety of technologies such as ANPR (automatic number plate readers), CCTV cameras, and environmental sensors to assess the impact of the new regulations.

Another example is Singapore's innovation district, Tengah, which deploys a variety of technologies to support decarbonisation including a centralised cooling system, smart streetlights, smart waste removal, a mobile app for citizens' smart metres, and mass rapid transport with a car-free city centre.

Bonte noted that the principles behind smart city technologies, such as increasing efficiency, better data management, and better decision making are also essential for decarbonisation and reaching net-zero goals.

He added that technologies can enhance decarbonisation through more efficient energy use, better project planning, predictive maintenance, greener mobility options (such as e-bikes and e-scooters), and greater urban management through better data management.

"Cities have a great opportunity to influence how we reach net-zero goals through their ability to regulate, purchase, and influence their services. By opting for smarter, more resilient solutions they can reach and maintain their decarbonisation goals to increase the health of their citizens and the wider community," Bonte said.

The post Digital twins, IoT and AI critical for achieving Net-Zero cities appeared first on FutureIoT.

Based on recent figures from Counterpoint Research, the demand for 5G AIoT solution is expected to skyrocket, with shipments of 5G AIoT modules reaching a CAGR of 84% between 2022 and 2030, as the combination of AI and IoT open new possibilities for industries requiring automated real-time decision-making and data analysis

Fibocom's AI smart module is bound to play a crucial part in the industry, with the potential to empower a massive range of compute-intensive use cases.

Equipped with the Qualcomm QCS8250 IoT solution, Fibocom's new SCA825-W module integrates an octa-core Kryo 585 CPU, Adreno 650 GPU, dedicated NPU 230 (Neural Processing Unit), as well as Hexagon DSP for machine learning.

The module can deliver a computing power of up to 15 TOPS (Tera Operations per Second), enabling complex AI computing performance with exceptional features.

"With AIoT continuously transforming every industry, high-performance AI modules will become an important pillar," said Eden Chen, general manager of MC Product Management Dept., Fibocom. "Our newly-launched AI smart module SCA825-W is an exceptional part of the Fibocom smart module family, which will take a big step forward in the AIoT field with technological advancements."

Featuring a powerful Spectra  480 ISP (image signal processor) Adreno 995 DPU and Adreno 665 VPU, Fibocom SCA825-W supports up to seven concurrent cameras, triple 4K display and video encode at up to 4K resolution at 120 fps, 8K at 30 fps (frames per second), offering superior image capturing, processing and displaying capabilities.

In addition, the module supports 5G, Wi-Fi 6.0, Bluetooth 5.1 as well as 2×2 Wi-Fi MIMO multi-antenna technology, which allows various wireless connectivity options for industrial and commercial use cases. It also supports Android 10 operating system and a wide range of interfaces (MIPI-DSI, I2S, PCIe, UART, USB, I2C, SPI), enabling much flexibility and ease of integration to meet the application demands of the AIoT industry.

The post Fibocom unleashes power of AIoT with new smart module appeared first on FutureIoT.

The vehicle was developed by Shenzhen Unity-Drive Innovation Technology (UDI), which is founded by the Intelligent Autonomous Driving Technology Center of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). It is the first unmanned vehicle to obtain a test licence from Hong Kong’s Transport Department.

UDI designs autonomous vehicles for industrial logistics, unmanned distribution, terminal operations and other scenarios.

According to Professor Ming Liu, leading developer at UDI, Hercules is a level four autonomous vehicle (based on a five-level scale ranging from assisted driving to a fully autonomous vehicle).

“The body of the UDI unmanned vehicle is covered with various sensors such as LiDAR, camera and ultrasonic, which let the machine sense the surrounding environment in real time and can also autonomously plan and change the driving path when encountering obstacles,” said Liu, adding that Hercules can carry loads of nearly a tonne – a capacity of 800 kilograms and volume of 2,900 litres.

Moreover, Hercules can plan and adopt its own routes so long as it has a detailed map of the environment.

“Just as people need to know the driving trajectory through a map, the unmanned vehicle has a high-precision map [so it can determine] its own position and destination and plan its path,” Liu added.

The vehicles are mass-produced but can be adapted and configured for many different scenarios

Similar to Hercules, UDI has  tailor-made unmanned vehicles for delivery company SF Express to serve two universities in Shanghai, which made more than 1,000 express deliveries during the Singles Day (11/11) peak period.

SF Express is looking for autonomous “last mile” delivery, which is appropriate for UDI’s low-speed, high-frequency point-to-point delivery model.

Unmanned driving in controlled areas

UDI’s self-driving vehicles can be adapted and configured for many different scenarios, and the company is now developing a new vehicle that can carry up to 3 tonnes for use in locations such as airports and harbours.

“In the past four years, UDI has accumulated benchmark customers in express logistics and industrial logistics, represented by SF Express, Foxconn, etc, and provides transportation-as-a-service (TaaS) solutions,” Liu said.

He added: “Our products include unmanned industrial logistics vehicles, unmanned delivery vehicles, unmanned shuttle vehicles, unmanned sweeping vehicles, unmanned security vehicles, unmanned retail vehicles, and technology for unmanned vehicles for use during epidemics. As policies and regulations improve, UDI will also expand the scope of unmanned vehicle applications to make UDI unmanned vehicles travel throughout cities.”

Since UDI provides TaaS, its vehicles can work in synchronised swarms. Liu said UDI’s technology allowed for navigating through active traffic, though controlled environments remain the company’s core focus currently.

Use case in new retail

Meanwhile, the IoT capabilities of UDI’s unmanned vehicles have been deployed in an unlikely industry – retail.

According to Liu, UDI last year worked with new Chinese tea brand  CoasTea to transform the carriages [of the unmanned vehicle] into retail cabinets for ‘new retailing’ in shopping malls with high customer traffic.

“Customers scanned a QR code to place an order without going to the store. Our unmanned retail vehicle can also capture the pedestrian volume and improve the efficiency of matching people and goods,” Liu said, adding that UDI is looking to expand into other retail functions.

GBA opportunities

UDI, which began at HKUST, is now based in Shenzhen. With its close ties to both cities, the company hopes to further establish close cooperation with the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA).

“There are many commercial opportunities and requirements. We have participated in the Greater Bay Area Auto Show for two consecutive years to actively expand the resources of the GBA,” said Liu.

“In terms of market applications, we have put a number of unmanned vehicles on the market in Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Guangzhou etc. At the same time, we provided IGV autonomous driving navigation solutions in Guangzhou Port, and provided unmanned vehicle technology anti-epidemic solutions in Shenzhen and other places,” he added.

The post UDI sets big goals for its self-driving vehicles appeared first on FutureIoT.

According to The National Environment Agency (NEA), CO2 levels in occupied areas are often used as a proxy for ventilation adequacy. Building managers should aim for CO2 levels below 800 parts per million (ppm) at all times. Measurements that exceed 1100 ppm is indicative of inadequate ventilation or potential overcrowding and should be addressed immediately.

“While the pandemic presented new challenges to our team, it also gave us an opportunity to review our processes and make our homes healthier. CO2 sensors are simple and powerful tools to optimise IAQ quality and build confidence for our residents,” said Agatha Tan, divisional director at the THK Disability Services.

THK Disability Services is one of the social welfare organisations under the Thye Hua Kwan Moral Charities (THKMC).

Tan added:  “We are pleased with the results of the trial. On top of real-time actions, our operation team can further analyse historical data stored on the cloud via a user-friendly dashboard, so that we can draw correlations between indoor capacity, length of activities and CO2 levels to predict IAQ and ventilate the rooms regularly.”

THK Disability Services, through THKMC, tapped massive IoT provider UnaBiz to supply the IAQ sensors for the three-month pilot.

During the trial, CO2 levels were captured in real-time and remotely throughout the day, in areas with high footfall such as dormitories, offices, activity rooms, and nursing stations.

The ability to monitor CO2 levels allows for the team to take the necessary corrective actions if predefined thresholds are breached. Measures such as increasing natural ventilation and deploying fans were taken to improve air quality, creating a healthier, safer, and more comfortable environment for over 500 staff and beneficiaries under THK Disability Services.

Jonathan Tan, managing director,  UnaBiz Singapore said: “As we transition into the post-pandemic era, vaccines and masks will take a back seat. However, more can be done to reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection by improving ventilation and monitoring CO2 levels to minimise aerosol transmissions. We are pleased to support THKMC by empowering the operation team with IoT solutions and real-time data to provide peace of mind to the residents and staff.”

With the completion of the trial, THK Disability Services plans to implement the  monitoring sensors in its other facilities  located in Sembawang, Geylang Bahru and Pan-Disability Eunos.

The post Sensors to ensure air quality inside THK Disability Services appeared first on FutureIoT.

This is one of the key takeaways from the “Emerging Giants in Asia Pacific” report, which looks into the region’s maturing technology-focused ecosystems that are producing billion-dollar companies at a rapid rate.

"Fast-growing technology start-ups are the new wave of SMEs contributing towards economic growth and more. Looking ahead, the global push towards carbon-neutrality will be a major driver of innovation as traditional sectors go green, and Emerging Giants will likely play a key role in developing the technologies that can reduce carbon emissions and promote more responsible stewardship of the environment. Asia will be a crucial battleground in the fight for a more sustainable future," said Honson To, chairman, KPMG Asia Pacific and KPMG China.

Close to over 6,500 technology startups with a valuation of up to US$500 million were studied across 12 markets, including China, India, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Australia,  Indonesia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

According to the report, the emergence of new sector verticals is attracting record-breaking investments, leading to a proliferation of larger, more valuable startups in the region.

Beyond Fintech and SaaS

Beyond the traditional sectors associated with new economy businesses such as FinTech or software-as-a-service, the report identified around 120 technology-related industry subsectors among these businesses, with blockchain, smart city, and sustainability and ESG verticals being the most prominent.

Sustainability and ESG verticals such as EV charging infrastructure, sustainable packaging and sustainable fashion are among the top 20 subsectors, making sustainability-related products and services a key focus for roughly 15% of the emerging giants identified.

The top 20 list also included four health-associated verticals, including assistive tech, AI-powered drug discovery, neurotechnology and mental health technology.

Meanwhile, the smart city-associated areas, such as IoT security and digital twins were present in the leading 10 subsectors. Virtual collaboration technologies also feature prominently with two categories – virtual events and low-code/no-code – making the top 20 list.

Advanced computing technologies were also well represented, with quantum computing making the top 5 and cognitive computing making the top 20.

"Emerging Giants in Asia Pacific excites us because we see the start-up ecosystem as complimentary to the established end of the financial services industry: they're a source of innovation, and invigorate both local and regional economies with their dynamism," says Surendra Rosha, co-chief executive, HSBC Asia-Pacific.

Other key findings

Daren Yong, head of technology for media and telecommunications, KPMG Asia Pacific, noted that the region’s emerging giants are bold, ambitious and cutting-edge in the new platform and software applications they are offering.

“Most importantly, they are transforming and pioneering the technology landscape over the coming years, in addition to thinking about what is useful to their customers now," said Yong.

Meanwhile, below are other key findings from the report.

• While a repeat of the record-breaking private investment levels in 2021 is unlikely, 1Q 2022 figures suggest that 2022 is on target to exceed both 2020 and 2019 funding levels in the Asia Pacific. Australia, Malaysia and South Korea have already seen deal values pass or nearly pass 2020 totals.
• As the world's biggest fintech adopter, the Asia Pacific region has experienced a boom in financial services transformation within the last two years as fintech applications progress in tandem with user uptake. Considerable interest in cryptocurrencies has also led to a surge in crypto financial services providers and blockchain players.
• Top challenges faced by Emerging Giants include navigating regulatory complexity and securing technology talent. Formulating effective ESG and tax strategies, as well as leveraging government incentives and implementing management processes for distributed workforces, will be cornerstones of future growth.

The post Explosive growth seen for APAC’s ESG and smart city startups appeared first on FutureIoT.

The first three projects involves testing  new clean energy innovations on Jurong Island, under a S$6-million grant awarded by the EMA and JTC with support from Enterprise Singapore.  (More than 30 proposals were received following the open grant call in October 2021. The grant supports the prototyping and demonstration of the awarded projects over the next two years.)

The investment in clean energy technologies is part of Singapore’s energy transition to decarbonise its energy supply and will support Singapore’s raised climate ambition to achieve net-zero by or around mid-century.

These projects, piloted for the first time on Jurong Island, cover a diverse mix of technologies. They include innovative floating solar deployment and the development of a virtual ledger system to support green hydrogen production.

One of the projects will also look at using existing infrastructure to deploy energy storage systems and the electrolytes used for energy storage can be produced from recycled industrial waste, which enhances circularity on Jurong Island. The awarded projects were selected based on their innovativeness, commercialisation potential and scalability

“With Singapore’s limited renewable energy options, new energy technologies and innovations are key in our decarbonisation journey. Solar is our most viable renewable energy source, and we hope to push the boundaries further to maximise the amount we can harness. We are also looking at low-carbon alternatives such as hydrogen to reduce our carbon emissions in the longer term. The partnership with industry and research community will accelerate our transition towards a more sustainable energy future,” said Ngiam Shih Chun, chief executive, EMA.

If shown to be commercially viable, the test-bed projects could be scaled up and deployed across more companies on Jurong Island as well as other industrial companies looking for cleaner energy solutions.

Sustainable solutions in underwater infrastructure inspection

Another two projects, this time as part of the S$8-million partnership between EMA and Shell, have been awarded to two local startups BeeX and SunGreenH2.

As a deep tech spin-off from the National University of Singapore, BeeX specialises in designing and building autonomous equipment used for inspection of underwater infrastructure. Their solution could potentially be used to remotely monitor and inspect underwater energy infrastructure such as subsea cables or floating solar photovoltaic systems. This reduces the need for manual inspections as Singapore scales up solar deployment on water bodies and taps on regional power grids to import low-carbon electricity.

For their pilot, BeeX will be collaborating with Shell to trial a HAUV (Hovering Autonomous Underwater Vehicle), to make underwater inspections safer, more efficient and effective at the Shell Energy and Chemicals Park Singapore on Pulau Bukom.

On the other hand, SunGreenH2 has developed a proprietary electrolyser technology used to produce low-carbon hydrogen. The Anion Exchange Membrane (AEM) technology has the potential to improve the efficiency and cost effectiveness of producing low-carbon hydrogen, a clean renewable energy source that may one day become an alternative fuel for power generation.

“We strongly believe that innovating and collaborating with the different players of the energy value chain is key in moving towards a low-carbon world. Startups are an exciting source of new ideas and innovation,” said Thomas Wong, general manager of Shell Energy and Chemicals Park Singapore at Bukom and chairman of Shell StartUp Engine Singapore Committee .

He added: “Supporting and working with local innovative startups like BeeX and SunGreenH2 is valuable in not only helping us to transform our business and the industry, but also contributing towards a net-zero world.”

EMA and Shell kicked off their partnership in 2019 to nurture local energy startups through the Shell StartUp Engine Singapore accelerator programme. To date, the partnership has supported 18 startups. Among the supported startups, EMA has also provided grants to selected startups to further develop their solutions to advance the energy sector’s transition towards greener sources.

Calls for R&D proposals in next-generation energy tech

Meanwhile, EMA and the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) jointly launched their second grant call for research and development (R&D) proposals in next-generation energy technologies.

Funds from the S$20 million Exploiting Distributed Generation (EDGE) programme, which was started in 2019, would be used to develop innovative power engineering projects that will boost power engineering capabilities and support Singapore’s transition to a more sustainable energy future.

"Singapore’s energy demand is forecasted to grow in the next decade, driven by increasing electrification and digitalisation. Our power grid needs to evolve to support a more complex power system as we transition into various sources of cleaner energy and integrate them into our power system to meet increasing demand,” said Ngiam of EMA.

The second EDGE grant call is open to researchers from Singapore-based institutions of higher learning, research institutes, public sector agencies, as well as local companies and company-affiliated research laboratories/institutions. Funded projects must be implemented in Singapore. All proposals must be submitted by 15 October 2022, 1200hrs, Singapore time.

Indeed, with the increase in distributed energy resources (DERs) such as solar photovoltaic installations and the rise in the adoption of electric vehicles, power systems of the future will need to be flexible and responsive.

Singapore’s power grid to evolve and adapt to variable power sources while continuing to ensure the reliability and stability of our power system. Because of this, EMA and SIT are seeking innovative solutions to manage the increasing DERs while ensuring continued grid stability and reliability.

Successful grant applicants would be able to test-bed their solutions on SIT’s Multi-Energy Microgrid at its Punggol Campus, located in the heart of the Punggol Digital District when ready in 2024. The Multi-Energy Microgrid serves as a platform for the industry and academics to catalyse R&D by allowing them to test-bed their solutions under real-world conditions. This could enable their ideas to be developed into market-ready solutions for commercialisation.

"Through EDGE, we aim to leverage Singapore’s first campus microgrid infrastructure for SIT’s Punggol Campus, which will serve as a national infrastructure that is open to the research community and businesses in Singapore,” said Professor Chua Kee Chaing, president, SIT.

“This platform allows new technologies and solutions to be tested in a controlled environment within the main grid while providing SIT students with the opportunity to work with industry partners and energy start-ups,” he added

In 2018, EMA and SIT launched the EDGE programme to support the building of capabilities in distributed energy technologies to prepare Singapore for an increasingly decentralised energy landscape. Since then, three projects in the research areas of microgrid design and distributed energy optimisation and management have been awarded.

The post SG fired up all cylinders in green energy bid appeared first on FutureIoT.

This collaboration is the latest in a series of projects that Foresight have secured in China in the last 12 months as the company expands its presence in the country as part of its goal to be a dominant player in the Asia Pacific’s automotive market.

The new system to be developed together with Shandong Research Institute will combine Foresight's stereoscopic technology (using both visible light and thermal cameras), radar, and the laser scanning technology LiDAR, as well as Beidou Tech's vehicle navigation and positioning system.

Beidou Tech is one of the owners of Shandong Research Institute, which is engaged in the research of high-precision seamless positioning, real-time accurate regeneration of scene targets, and control of scene target position.

The new collaboratively produced system is expected to provide vehicle manufacturers with multi-sensor intelligent navigation to deploy in smart transportation, active safety automotive systems, and unmanned driving.

The resulting system is intended for use in autonomous vehicles, trucks, passenger cars, and other vehicles in Shandong Province, China.

With the signing of the MOU to seal the collaboration between Shandong Research Institute and Foresight, the Chinese parties applied for the endorsement and financial support of the province to underwrite the project.

Meanwhile, both Shandong Research Institute and Foresight intend to negotiate a definitive agreement to develop the above-mentioned system and to establish a joint venture in Shandong.

The post Foresight to jointly develop autonomous solutions in Shandong appeared first on FutureIoT.

Called “Connected Product”, the packaged offering is jointly developed  by the two companies as part of their strategic alliance signed in 2020. The tracking solution provides greater visibility across the entire supply chain, and agility to activate immediate reactionary procedures, in case of damage or delays.

“What we’re announcing today improves supply chain visibility for logistics companies and insurers here in the APJ region, and delivers on NTT and SAP’s shared vision of helping companies around the globe achieve greater resiliency and agility to ensure they are prepared for future disruptions,” said Paul Marriott, president of SAP APJ, at the SAP Sapphire Conference held in Tokyo yesterday.

Logistics and supply chain disruptions have been commonplace these past two years as a result of the COVID pandemic and climate change, with marine transportation one of the most affected areas in the global supply chain model.

According to NTT DATA, there are instances when products were not tracked for three months and found out to be damaged or lost in transit – resulting to  more than US$5 billion in insurance claims.

“More than ever before, global logistics need to be resilient and adaptative. Long-term planning alone is no longer sufficient, and organisations must be able to react quickly especially in times of uncertainty. Critical to enabling this type of agility is to have the right data in the right hands, in real time,” said Norbert Rotter, SVP, NTT DATA Corporation, and CEO, NTT DATA Business Solutions.

The Connected Product solution responds to this need by monitoring the location and environmental conditions of goods in transit, particularly fragile goods, such as solar panels; bulk liquids, such as wine and olive oil; and sensitive cold chain shipments, such as cheese, pharmaceuticals, and even vaccines.

Making insurance management easier

More than 70% of supply chain claims are due to breakages and until the cargo arrives at its destination. Nobody has any idea of its actual condition and if it is suitable for sale to end customers.

Losses due to poor transportation conditions is becoming a multi-billion dollar problem, because it is almost impossible to know who did what and when an incident was caused.

This lack of visibility prevents companies from taking proactive decisions to avoid significant contractual penalties by setting accountability for each stakeholder.

To make insurance management easier, the new Connected Product solution connects SAP business network for logistics with smart insurance policy management assets powered by NTT DATA.

This provides real-time information on operations to all stakeholders, digitising all shipment and insurance documentation – triggering  and executing insurance policies automatically through NTT DATA smart shipments and giving everyone the ability to adapt to potential incidents quickly.

How it works: it all starts with sensor data

The solution starts when goods are loaded in the container a sensor is installed and linked to the logistics order shipment and the smart shipment policy the sensor collects data and sends its geo-location and transportation conditions every hour.

Alongside marine transportation of the goods, the solution monitors all variables that could affect the cargo. All this real-time data gathered remotely facilitates automatic decision-making provided by NTT DATA smart shipments that optimises insurance-related processes significantly and assures all stakeholders across the supply chain that everything is in hand no matter what happens.

Meanwhile, all stakeholders across the supply chain can follow the order conditions using dynamic dashboards showing insurance policy coverage and impact with light medium or heavy categories to anticipate potential breaches.

If the transport conditions defined in the policy are breached during the shipment of the goods, the NTT DATA  smart insurance policy is triggered and executes the payments of the insurance policy reducing claim management overheads and general costs

Piloting the solution

Right now, SAP and NTT DATA are piloting the solution with 20 shippers. From March to September this year, the Connected Product solution are tracking 400 container shipments bound for Europe, Asia and Europe. The journey spans more than 5 million kilometres, collecting more than 200,000 pieces of data from the sensors

It is especially useful for tracking fragile goods, such as solar panels; bulk liquids, such as wine and olive oil; and sensitive cold chain shipments, such as cheese, pharmaceuticals, and even vaccines.

The data gathered by IoT sensors helps to ensure that conditions critical for the goods – like temperature, luminosity, or shock-proofing requirements – are managed during the journey. That information gives customers the opportunity to quickly react to incidents.

After the pilot,  NTT DATA plans to incorporate the system into business operations, extending the solution to more international insurance and logistics companies.

The post SAP APJ, NTT DATA unveil sensor-based logistics offering appeared first on FutureIoT.

According to a Digitimes research report, the country’s ICT industry has shifted from focusing on hardware to hardware/software integration models. The industry is combining big data analysis and AI applications in public IoT to facilitate the development of smart city management.

Tools such as IoT, AI, cloud computing, and communications technologies are efficiently integrated with urban infrastructure to produce economic benefits and improve quality of life.

“Taiwan's expertise in semiconductor and hardware is important to smart cities' development as more data is being used to improve AI systems, resulting in rising demand for stronger infrastructure and hardware with next-generation AI semiconductors,” said Dr. Ayesha Khanna, co-founder and CEO of Addo, an AI consulting firm based in California.

Khanna will be one of the speakers at the upcoming smart city webinar in Taipei later this month to be hosted by Digitimes Asia.

Khanna believes that whether it is AI, robots, 3D printing, Internet of things or 5G, smart city's development should not start purely with technologies but the idea of assisting people to solve their problems or become the aspirational goal for citizens.

It is estimated that the business opportunities of smart cities will reach US$2.6 trillion in 2025, mainly in the Asia Pacific region. This includes sectors such as smart poles, building, parking, monitor, government, transportation, fire protection, water conservancy and WITMED.

“When people want to have better energy and waste management in their city, designers can create an AI solution for monitoring energy usage that can turn streetlights on and off with a built-in smart lighting system. They can also build a centralised trash collection mechanism with sensors and have robots powered by AI to collect waste all around the neighbourhoods to reduce traffic and road congestions,” Khanna said.

Collecting and integrating public and private data

Khanna pointed out that it also important to collect and integrate publicly available data and data from the ecosystem's private firms to form a system.

For example, by combining data of taxi companies and traffic light operation, it reduces people's waiting time for taxies, while traffic congestion can also be significantly lowered with the system's assistance in rerouting or changing the traffic lights.

Technologies for smart healthcare

Nowadays, because of the pandemic, the number of hospital visits via online meeting software or telemedicine services increased dramatically as people find it more convenient and efficient.

The technologies used by medical care system are also making improvements with some designers beginning to adopt biometric sensors onto the terminals for the machines to collect more patients' data, giving doctors more information to make intelligent diagnosis, such as handheld ultrasound products that can be connected via smartphones for patients to check on themselves via AI or by medical staff nearby and then send results to their doctors.

“Technologies for remote medical care are a key area that many IT companies have devoted their R&D effort to. Ambulances built with remote medical care system can connect doctors with ambulances care assistants for them to do check-ups while transporting patents to the hospital. The doctors can also make an examination over patients' injuries via a head-mounted display (HMD) to save time,” said Khanna.

Vital role of 5G in smart city

However, Khanna said all these innovations still rely on 5G, which allows devices to communicate with each other with its fast transmission speed, and has brought a revolution to the manufacturing industry and factories.

In Singapore, a lot of investments are being made for deploying 5G infrastructure throughout the city. This is also the case for many countries including the US.

As smart systems are adopting more sensors to enhance their data collection ability, 5G's commercialisation has become the key to unlock the potential of IoT.

With telecom carriers worldwide keenly expanding their 5G infrastructure, Dr. Khanna is optimistic about the birth of more new smart systems and the rapid development of smart cities worldwide.

“The future of smart city will not be operated by one large central AI, but multiple small ones. Issues within smart cities' key sectors such as healthcare, energy and education will continue to be overseen by government departments or public sector companies with them using AIs to optimise and create innovations for their services,” said Khanna.

The post Taiwan eyes leadership in smart city solutions development appeared first on FutureIoT.

It will also expand its reach across the GCC countries, which comprise of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman.

Pure Harvest opened up about its market expansion after securing its latest growth funding of US$180.5 million.

“We have demonstrated that we can reliably deploy our high-tech farming solutions across the GCC. Now it is time to enter new markets that share similar challenges to our own – fast-growing populations, seasonal import-dependence, and an awareness of the crippling effects that short-term crises such as COVID-19 and the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and climate change – are having on our global food system. The future of farming is here… now, we have the resources to bring our solution to the world,” said Sky Kurtz, co-founder and CEO, Pure Harvest.

The company also will use its new capital to invest in research and development.

The financing was raised by a consortium of key global investors, including Metric Capital Partners, UK, IMM Investment Corp, Korea, and Olayan Group, KSA, joined by several existing investors and management.

It represents the largest-ever convertible financing in the MEASA region. The funding round was vastly oversubscribed, and a few strategic investors are still in discussions for further upsizing, underscoring the strong institutional investor appetite for Pure Harvest.

The growth capital cements Pure Harvest’s role as the MEASA region’s champion within the fast-emerging, global high-tech agriculture ecosystem.

Kurtz said: “We are humbled by this investment from an esteemed group of global investors, backing our mission: to harness the wonders of science, the power of nature, and the passions of people to provide tasty, affordable, sustainably-grown fresh produce anywhere. “

Established in 2016 in Abu Dhabi, Pure Harvest grow crops in smart greenhouses installed with controlled-environment agriculture technologies to deliver fresh produce that is “cleaner-than-organic”. For now, the company only produces tomatoes.

The company deploys technology to circumvent the UAE’s hostile climate and create an environment that can sustain agriculture. Its high-tech greenhouses provide precise climate & environmental controls, enabling increased productivity and reduced waste, including water, energy and  time).

An advanced system analyses data to adjust sunlight, temperature and humidity. Other variables such as levels of carbon dioxide, water and airflow are also measured. There is also an advanced on-site water treatment to ensure food safety.

Pure Harvest packs its own produce: immediately cooling fresh-picked produce to extend shelf life – preserving freshness, firmness and flavour.

Controlled-environment agriculture is the future

Investors in Pure Harvest’s latest funding are confident that controlled-environment agriculture (CEA) plays a vital role in ensuring global food security amid the worsening climate change.

"It's clear that controlled-environment agriculture is becoming increasingly important as a solution to food security issues while also mitigating the environmental impact of food production. We believe Pure Harvest is extremely well positioned to thrive in this growing market driven by its excellent team, innovative approach, and proven track record of building and operating at scale in a region characterised by difficult climatic conditions for agriculture,” said Bjørn Tessiore, partner at Metric Capital Partners.

Hyun-Chan Cho, partner at IMM Investment, said: “Due to our longstanding successful investment in Farm8 (PlanTFarm), we knew the CEA space well. With Pure Harvest, we saw a complementary solution that let us double-down on an investment thesis that we continue to believe in, and that tangibly contributes to global food security, water conservation, economic diversification, and sustainability objectives. We are proud to actively support Pure Harvest as it brings its solution to Asian markets.”

The leading alternative investment firm in South Korea, IMM has forked out an initial USD $50 million investment in Pure Harvest in October.

One of the company’s latest investors, the Saudi Arabian-based Olayan Financing Company, said the climate and water challenges that Pure Harvest works to overcome is vital to the global economy.

“Pure Harvest has proven its ability to deliver incredibly high-quality, safe, sustainable products at affordable prices, and they’ve shown an openness to partner with others to achieve their mission. I believe this funding will allow them to unleash significant potential, and to meet growing food demands in many new markets. We are pleased to be joining the company at this critical point in their journey, transitioning from a regional leader to a global one,” a spokesperson from Olayan Financing Company said.

The latest round of fundraising cements Pure Harvest’s leadership position as the pioneer in CEA in harsh climates. This fundraise, together with the sizable research and development incentives secured from the Abu Dhabi Investment Office in 2020, will allow Pure Harvest to accelerate its growth plans, deploying growing systems in new markets and increasing research and development investments.

Pure Harvest  is also investigating a number of new growth initiatives, including product extensions and water-efficient CEA solutions for fodder production.

The post Pure Harvest to expand smart farms to new markets in Asia appeared first on FutureIoT.

“We are leading the way in leveraging AI technology to empower a wide range of industries. Our partnership with Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN will unleash the potential of AI to transform the motorsports industry by taking its performance to new heights. We look forward to combining our latest SenseAuto technology with F1’s brand to revolutionize motorsport experience,” said

Xu Li, co-founder, executive chairman of the board and CEO, SenseTime.

To mark this technology partnership, the former’s branding was featured prominently on the sidepods of Alfa Romeo’s F1 cars during last weekend’s British Grand Prix, as it will be in future Grand Prix Races.

AI offers many possibilities to improve a car's performance, helping drivers maximise their decision-making process. The technology also optimise racing strategy through reinforcement learning of optimal race strategies, speech transcription, anomaly detection in the race car’s sensor data, comprehensive competitor analysis and competitor database.

The technology partnership between the two companies represents a shared passion for innovation, and a desire to pursue new frontiers by reshaping the way technology drives racing.

Frédéric Vasseur, team principal of Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN, said: “Artificial Intelligence is the new frontier of innovation. It will influence many fields of applications – motorsport included. Our partnership with SenseTime allows the team to collaborate with a global leader in this growing sector, making sure we explore every opportunity to gain an advantage over our competition and push the boundaries of technologies together.”

SenseTime has been  leveraging AI technology to empower a variety of industries globally, including the Middle East through its partnerships with local clients. Racing offers an abundance of opportunities for AI to enhance data processing and provide an advantage in overall performance.

The post SenseTime and Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN forge AI pact appeared first on FutureIoT.

“BlackBerry remains the leading choice for safety-critical automotive software, deployed in millions of vehicles globally, reflecting an industry-leading strategic vision,” said Roger Lanctot, director for Automotive Connected Mobility at Strategy Analytics. “Over the past seven years, BlackBerry has retained and grown its position in a rapidly changing market, and successfully delivered innovative automotive software solutions, which OEMs and Tier 1s embed in vehicles sold around the world.”

Strategy Analytics determined the volume of vehicles embedded with BlackBerry QNX software based on the number of BlackBerry QNX products that are shipped in the automotive market and the number of cars that contain BlackBerry QNX products and technology. The vast majority of BlackBerry QNX software products that are integrated and used in automotive ECUs are licensed on a per-unit royalty basis.

Automakers deploy BlackBerry QNX software in a broad range of applications for today's increasingly connected vehicles. These applications include digital cockpits, advanced drive assistance systems, instrument clusters, acoustics, and infotainment. Companies that have used the embedded software in their vehicles include BMW, Bosch, Continental, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, and Visteon.

“We continue to be the clear market leader in safety-critical embedded automotive software, with consistent growth in vehicles count, from over 16 million in 2013 to over 215 million today. We are delighted to be trusted by automotive OEMs and Tier 1s around the world,” said John Chen, executive chairman & CEO, BlackBerry.

Indeed, the QNX royalty revenue backlog has increased to approximately US$560 million at the end of BlackBerry’s first quarter of fiscal year 2023. This represents a 14% increase, from approximately US$490 million last year.

The backlog metric is calculated annually using QNX’s royalty rates and current projections of anticipated volumes over the lifetime of a design. BlackBerry QNX has recently achieved design wins with industry leaders such as Aptiv, Denso, Ford, GM, Hyundai, LG Electronics, Magna, and Volvo.

“Connected-autonomous vehicles are central to the development of smart cities, so as the two key markets that BlackBerry serves – IoT and cybersecurity – converge into an interdependent and combined market, our growth in the automotive industry will accelerate the emergence of a trusted smart world,” said Chen.

The post Automakers embed BlackBerry software in over 215-M vehicles appeared first on FutureIoT.

“Wi-Fi has been a key enabler of the global IIOT market, which is on track to have a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of about 23% between 2017 and 2023. Wi-Fi 6 and 6E are expanding capabilties by providing the multi-Gb/s data rates, additional spectrum, deterministic performance and other advanced capabilities necessary to support demanding applications such as Industry 4.0,” said Tiago Rodrigues, CEO of the Wireless Broadband Alliance.

Entitled “Wi-Fi 6/6E for Industrial IoT: Enabling Wi-Fi Determinism in an IoT World”, the white paper delves into the efficacy of using the latest Wi-Fi standard for new IIoT applications deployed manufacturing/Industry 4.0 and logistics, involving autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), automated ground vehicles (AGVs), predictive maintenance and augmented/virtual/mixed reality (AR/VR/MR).

“As more equipment is monitored, wiring becomes prohibitive,” the paper says. “Industry is moving towards the inclusion of wireless technologies to lessen the cost of obtaining more information about their processes. In one recent case in the oil and gas industry, moving to a wireless installation resulted in a 75% cost reduction in installation.”

For example, manufacturers are increasingly using IIoT sensors for vibration, temperature and lubricant viscosity to catch emerging equipment problems before they result in extensive, expensive downtime. Other IIoT sensors provide real-time insights about production output, inventory levels and asset locations. Wireless has become the preferred way to network these sensors because it’s faster and cheaper to deploy than copper or fibre.

Industry-wide initiative towards next-generation Wi-FI

According to Eric McLaughlin, vice president of the Client Computing Group and general manager of the Wireless Solutions Group at Intel Corporation, said that Wi-Fi is an essential ingredient in enabling the major transformation now happening in the industrial IoT market.

“Applications like Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR) and Remote Human Management Interface (HMI) industrial devices require the mobility, functional safety, high reliability, low latency, robust security and determinism that Wi-Fi 6/6E can deliver particularly when combined with TSN (time sensitive networking) solutions. We are pleased to be leading this Wi-Fi technology evolution, and applauds the work that the WBA is doing in this space.”

Produced by WBA’s Wi-Fi 6/6E for IIOT work group led by Intel, Cisco and Deutsche Telekom, the report provides an overview of Wi-Fi 6 and 6E capabilities that are ideal for sensors and other IIoT applications, such as:

• Scheduled access (SA) enabled by trigger-based (TB) uplink (UL) orthogonal frequency domain multiple access (OFDMA) in Wi-Fi 6 provides the ability to reduce or eliminate contention and bound latency (e.g. 99 percentile). This leads to increased levels of determinism applicable to all real-time and IIOT applications.
• Wi-Fi 6 provides many deterministic QoS capabilities, such as the traffic prioritization that is a key component of Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) for Industry 4.0 applications. Another example is Multi-link operation (MLO), a capability that helps provide high reliability for applications that cannot tolerate any packet loss.
• The Fine Timing Measurement (FTM) protocol specified in IEEE 802.11-2016 enables both time-synchronization but also precise indoor range and position/location determination. This can be used for Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR) and Automatic Guided Vehicles (AGV) applications such as route planning, exception handling and safety-related aspects including collision avoidance based on proximity. This capability does not require additional Wi-Fi infrastructure, so manufacturers can implement it immediately, for instance as part of their Industry 4.0 migration.
• The target-wake-time (TWT) feature added to Wi-Fi 6 provides more efficient power-save and scheduling enhancement. This capability is a good fit for battery-powered IIoT nodes that need to transmit only infrequently, such as a sensor that uploads data only when a motor’s temperature exceeds a certain threshold.
• Wi-Fi 6E supports up to 1.2 GHz of spectrum, making it ideal for use cases that require both multi-Gb/s throughput and determinism, such as industrial AR/VR/MR and sensor fusion.

The 52-page report also includes RF/network deployment guidelines for factory, warehouse, logistics and other use cases. For example, it provides recommendations for leveraging 802.11ax/Wi-Fi 6 scheduling capabilities to optimize traffic patterns and manage critical QoS requirements. Another example is using high-gain directional antennas to increase channel re-use rates and work around metal racks and other signal-attenuating features commonly found in warehouses.

Ongoing projects around next-gen Wi-Fi

The WBA said there are over three dozen vendors, service providers and other organisations participated in developing the white paper.

Some current projects around the new Wi-Fi standards that have been mentioned in the paper include:

• Cisco, Intel and partners are working on use cases involving AMR and AGV, where key requirements include <10-20ms latency, <50km/h speed and .99.9999% reliability.
• Cisco and Mettis Aerospace are working on sensor applications, where requirements include very high reliability, low power consumption and high device density.
• Further work taking place on video-AMR fusion use cases such as collision avoidance, where technical requirements include <20ms latency and <1ms jitter.
• Cisco is working on safety control applications, which require <1-ms latency for applications such as automatically stopping a machine after a sensor detects that the person has left the operating position.
• Cisco, Mettis Aerospace and Intel are working on AR/VR applications with resolutions up to 80K and 90fps, where throughput requirements can be as high as 100 Mb/s.
•  Cisco is working on automotive uses cases such as logistics in high-density storage lots, where <60dBm interference is key for reliable operation.

 Matt MacPherson, CTO, Cisco Wireless, said: “The next industrial evolution will not only depend on the ability to connect more things, but to also add greater reliability, intelligence and security. This can only be done when the world’s leading companies work together with progressive Industry 4.0 customers to explore and implement new, game-changing technologies.”

He added: “We are proud of the work we have done with the WBA to ensure customers understand how, when and where to apply the latest innovations. It is because of advancements in wireless technology that Industrial IoT sits at the centre of the forthcoming industrial revolution."

 Ahmed Hafez, vice president of network convergence at Deutsche Telekom said: “Deutsche Telekom’s industrial partners are demanding ubiquitous high performance wireless connectivity to take their production processes to the next level. Converged Access combining 5G cellular and Wi-Fi6/6E Networks will play a vital role to deliver comprehensively on their application and process demands in the near future”.

The post WBA sets out how Wi-Fi 6/6E enables industry 4.0 into reality appeared first on FutureIoT.

According to Mark Verbloot, senior director of  product, solutions and systems engineering for Asia Pacific Region at Aruba Networks, the turbulence in manufacturing and the supply chain seen in the last two years have underscored the need for manufacturers to accelerate their transition from “mass production and economies of scale to prioritizing market and customer responsiveness".

"In response to the issues they face, high-tech manufacturers are increasingly aligning their technology investments to secure and optimise operations while addressing data privacy and security concerns even as they build greater resilience in the long-term,” said Verbloot.

The study, entitled “High-Tech Manufacturing Begins with High-Performance Networking and Security Solution”, was conducting by Forrester Consulting on behalf of Aruba – a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company, surveying more than 270 business and IT decision-makers from high-tech manufacturers in Australia, India, Japan, Malaysia, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand in the first quarter of 2022.

The study found three in four manufacturers in the region are prioritising innovation and automation for greater operational efficiency and resilience over the past 12 months.

It also found that edge solutions, IoT applications, and networks were essential to driving innovation for 63% of respondents, with 61% indicating they had optimised manufacturing processes with automation and robots. Meanwhile, 69% of respondents said they were either piloting or already using cloud-managed networking and security solutions to benefit from improved flexibility, scalability, and defense capabilities.

Furthermore, 64% of respondents who indicated their intention to build on previous investments in AI-powered software to optimise operations, implement predictive capabilities, and optimise productivity.

Data privacy and security concerns

With the increased connectivity and digitalisation of processes and operations, the study states that the collection, transmission, and utilisation of the breadth of data is becoming critical to the sectors' ability to scale operations and address the challenges posed by privacy and security concerns.

Indeed, more than half (52%) of APAC decision-makers ranked data privacy and security concerns within their top five challenges when implementing networking solutions, while 48% said the lack of cybersecurity features in legacy IoT devices is one of their top five challenges. About 18% ranked information technology/operational technology (IT/OT) divide as one of their top two networking challenges.

In response to data privacy and security concerns, manufacturers have plans to leverage emerging technologies and automation to secure their operations in the next 24 months.

These solutions include cloud-managed networking (38%) and SD-WAN (37%). More than 50% of manufacturers are also expanding, upgrading, or planning to invest in Zero Trust Edge solutions in the same timeframe, while 57% said identity-based traffic segmentation helps them to achieve their business goals.

"As we emerge from the pandemic, there is a need for the manufacturing industry to develop greater agility and flexibility in their operations. Innovation is at the heart of decision-makers’ priorities but manufacturing leaders need to act now by leveraging high-performance network and security solutions to help the smart manufacturing industry scale effectively,” said Verbloot.

The post Consistent network operations crucial to smart MFG in APAC appeared first on FutureIoT.

Collectively called “OT:ICEFALL”, all 56 vulnerabilities are divided into four main categories: insecure engineering protocols, weak cryptography or broken authentication schemes, insecure firmware updates and remote code execution via native functionality.

The 36-page report from Vedere Labs underscored the impact of “insecure by design” legacy of OT devices which leave them exposed to real-world OT malware such as  Industroyer, TRITON, Industroyer2 and INCONTROLLER.

“The rapid expansion of the threat landscape is well documented at this stage. By connecting OT to IoT and IT devices, vulnerabilities that once were seen as insignificant due to their lack of connectivity are now high targets for bad actors.” said Daniel dos Santos, head of security research, Forescout Vedere Labs. 

He added: “We a very long way to go to reach the summit of these OT design practices. These types of vulnerabilities, and the proven desire for attackers to exploit them, demonstrate the need for robust, OT-aware network monitoring and deep-packet-inspection (DPI) capabilities.”

The products affected by OT:ICEFALL are known to be prevalent in industries that are the backbone of critical infrastructure such as oil and gas, chemical, nuclear, power generation and distribution, manufacturing, water treatment and distribution, mining and building automation. Many of these products are sold as ‘secure by design’ or have been certified with OT security standards

Shifting threat landscape

The report by Vedere Labs has identified a shift in the community toward recognising “insecure by design” vulnerabilities.

“Only a few years back, well-known vulnerabilities like some that can be found in OT:ICEFALL would not get assigned a CVE ID because there was the assumption that everyone knew OT protocols were insecure. On the contrary, we believe a CVE is a community recognised marker that aids in vulnerability visibility and actionability by helping push vendors to fix issues and asset owners to assess risks and apply patches,” the report said.

The vulnerabilities and associated issues disclosed in this report range from persistent insecure-by-design practices in security-certified products to inadequate attempts to fix them.

It is crucial for asset owners to understand how the opaque and proprietary nature of these systems, the suboptimal vulnerability management surrounding them, and the often-false sense of security offered by certifications complicate OT risk management efforts.

Although the impact of each vulnerability is highly dependent on the functionality each device offers, they fall under the following categories:

• Remote code execution (RCE): Allows an attacker to execute arbitrary code on the impacted device, but the code may be executed in different specialised processors and different contexts within a processor, so an RCE does not always mean full control of a device. This is usually achieved via insecure firmware/logic update functions that allow the attacker to supply arbitrary code.
• Denial of service (DoS): Allows an attacker to either take a device completely offline or to prevent access to some function.
• File/firmware/configuration manipulation: Allows an attacker to change important aspects of a device such as files stored within it, the firmware running on it or its specific configurations. This is usually achieved via critical functions lacking the proper authentication/authorization or integrity checking that would prevent attackers from tampering with the device.
• Compromise of credentials: Allows an attacker to obtain credentials to device functions, usually either because they are stored or transmitted insecurely.
• Authentication bypass: Allows an attacker to bypass existing authentication functions and invoke desired functionality on the target device.

A full list of devices affected by OT: ICEFALL is available here, while details of each vulnerability are discussed in Forescout’s technical report.

The post Forescout reveals 56 flaws in OT devices from 10 companies appeared first on FutureIoT.

With maintenance and modernisation of existing equipment expected to exhibit significant growth over time, manufacturers are also focusing on value-added services.

Elevator maintenance, including elevator preventive maintenance, is one of the major tasks involved in elevator service. It involves ensuring that no accidents or breakdowns happen on elevators. Elevator maintenance helps avoid major replacements and it prolongs the life of elevators.

Another issue that has recently come to the fore (driven in part by climate change) is sustainable energy use. With elevators representing 2-7% of the total energy consumed in a building, there is significant scope for improvement regarding energy consumption.

The rise of IoT elevators

The global IoT elevator market is set to reach US$93.9 billion by the end of 2022-2032 with a CAGR of 13.4%, according to Fact.MR. IoT Elevators are proving to be more efficient than traditional elevators in comparison with next-generation elevators.

With a growth rate valued at US$18.4 Billion, in 2022 the hardware demand has boomed significantly in the past few years. Based on the data that is being collected from daily usage of elevators, artificial intelligence is currently being used to assist both operators and mechanical contractors in keeping up with their daily routines and finding ways to better manage the flow of elevator traffic and find ways to prevent problems before they occur.

Challenges ahead

The integration of third-party systems with elevators is expected to become more prevalent as technology develops. Construction companies are calling for efficient and safe technologies in the global elevator market.

Driving the growth is increased urbanisation, including demand for residential & commercial amenities, propping demand for IoT in elevators.

IoT to power innovations

Devices powered by IoT technology can manage big data streams and perform predictive maintenance in elevators.

Birgitta Van den Driessche, TK Elevator’s product and marketing director for APAC, says the pandemic, technology and sustainability have fuelled the innovations of the past few years. She highlights technologies like TWIN elevators operating in the same shaft and ropeless elevators that can move both vertically and horizontally.

When it comes to user expense, she noted that smart and connected elevators not only streamline maintenance but also effectively increase availability levels.

“Through newly developed human and system interfaces, elevators are getting more integrated into building operations. We expect innovations to continue as vertical mobility serves an ever-important role in reducing urban sprawl and improving accessibility, especially in emerging economies in APAC."

Birgitta Van den Driessche

How is elevator maintenance conducted?

Birgitta Van den Driessche: Elevator maintenance is of paramount importance to the safety of passengers, for the same reason it is highly regulated in most countries around the world. Maintenance checks are required to be conducted regularly by certified technicians to verify the integrity and efficiency of mechanical, electrical and safety devices, and to ensure elevator units operate safely and efficiently.

Given that these tend to be operated manually by passengers, how do you ensure minimal disruption to operations?

Birgitta Van den Driessche: Through connected controllers, elevators today work in synergy with advanced group scheduling and calling solutions. These systems optimise elevator dispatching to cater for the needs of different scenarios, including energy-saving, priority service and peak hours arrangement for specific zones/floors.

For example, in multi-car configurations like the TWIN, these systems are together able to increase service availability and optimise energy consumption by parking the unused car during non-peak hours. With the entire operation flow coordinated by digital systems, operations are optimised, and human disruptions can be reduced to a minimum.

How has IoT influenced the preventive/predictive maintenance of elevators?

Birgitta Van den Driessche: Elevator maintenance was performed on a “Break & Fix” basis, usage data of elevator components was not easily accessible.

Recent technological advancements gave major global players an unprecedented edge over smaller and local contenders - with the introduction of elevators connected through an IoT platform and monitored by a host of sensors, and the help of big data, operation insights of thousands of elevators uploaded to the cloud, property owners and managers are now able to integrate predictive maintenance into building operations workflow, and as aforementioned, enable more versatile elevator services.

Talk about the impact of data-driven building operations on the passenger experience.

Birgitta Van den Driessche: The integration of digital mobility solutions and data-driven building operations has changed how people travel within buildings, especially in today’s post-pandemic situation.

On one hand, digital solutions such as gesture, voice and mobile elevator calls enable smooth elevator rides without the need for a single physical touch, on the other hand, digital and centralised elevator dispatch systems shorten queues and wait times by optimising elevator availability according to access and usage data in specific sections of the building.

Real-time operation insights including fall and misuse detection and visual safety based on computer vision and AI technologies will also significantly enhance the safety performance of elevators and escalators.

Can you compare traditional and cloud-based elevator maintenance?

Birgitta Van den Driessche: Cloud-based maintenance is of game-changing importance when it comes to service improvement. In the past elevator maintenance was conducted mainly through visual inspection, technicians were often not able to accurately estimate the usage of elevator components. As a result, when elevators malfunctioned, downtimes were inevitable due to parts availability and time needed for the actual repair work.

With the new cloud-based maintenance approach, in addition to regular visual inspections conducted by certified technicians, we are now able to monitor the real-time operational status of the elevator and its various components, which enable us to perform predictive maintenance on connected elevator units.

Can you share the future development and benefits of building operation platforms?

Birgitta Van den Driessche: Buildings in the future will consist of numerous control systems, a greater scale of integration of these systems will be the way forward.

With next-generation elevators, access control, in-car infotainment, emergency-call, smart maintenance and monitoring solutions, central air conditioning, etc., all working together in synergy, will result in a building that allows tenants and even robots – a new type of elevator users travel seamlessly within a building that is more secure and consumes less energy.

Development of these technologies has matured in recent years, and they are readily available for deployment as new installations or retrofits.

Click on the PodChat player to listen to Van den Driessche’s account on how IoT is further accelerating the adoption of IoT-enabled elevators, and the benefits these bring to both operators and the public.

1. What is new about elevators (particularly since 2020)? – new in terms of features, rider expectations and operator preferences.
2. How is elevator maintenance conducted?
3. Given that elevators tend to be operated manually often by passengers, how do you ensure minimal disruption to operations?
4. Talk to us about the impact of data-driven building operations on passenger experience.
5. How has IoT influenced the preventive/predictive maintenance of elevators?
6. Can you compare traditional and cloud-based elevator maintenance?
7. Can you share future development and benefits of building operation platforms?

The post PodChats for FutureIoT: Future of connected mobility appeared first on FutureIoT.

UAP builds net-zero ground infrastructure for eVTOL passenger air taxis and autonomous delivery drones.

Critical to this digital infrastructure will be BI’s Vertiport Information Management System (VIMS), powered by its proprietary device integration platform capable of remote beyond visible line of sight (BVLOS) autonomous control and operation of drones to autonomously perform tasks that would normally require human input.

“The development of the new vertiports will see the perfect marriage of ground and air architecture driven by an autonomous digital platform at the core,” the companies said in a press statement.

In addition, BI and UAP  will work together on several proofs-of-concept (POCs) for practical applications of autonomous drone operations such as transportation of medical supplies, industrial maintenance/inspection work and logistics solutions, paving the way for remote pilot passenger operations and ultimately autonomous passenger air travel.

Since 2016, BI has been conducting extensive research and development into a vertiport system, the “BEP Port”, in collaboration with the Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of Japan and the University of Tokyo, which combines their VIMS digital platform with infrastructure design – the expertise UAP will bring to the table. This groundwork has already seen BI conducting multiple POCs throughout Japan.

The agreement between UAP and BI will enable further POCs to be developed in an effort to create social implementation of AAM not just in Japan, but on a global scale.

“Japan is a key market for Urban-Air Port. Collaborating with Blue Innovation establishes us in Japan, providing best-in-class technology as well as a platform for further development and co-operation,” said Adrian Zanelli, chief financial officer, Urban-Air Port.

He added: “Similarly, this agreement gives Blue Innovation a far broader reach in terms of geography and customers. We’re excited to make this announcement today and look forward to making the strongest AAM ecosystem in Japan and across the world.”

The post Blue Innovation and Urban-Air Port inked vertiport pact appeared first on FutureIoT.

“With the electric double-deck bus and later the first hydrogen fuel cell double-deck bus, we can run these new energy buses in parallel to gather valuable operational data that can assist the government in the formulation of a comprehensive zero-emission transformation plan,” said Roger Ma, general manager for operation, Citybus and New Word First Bus.

The city’s first electric double-decker bus will later be deployed in Kowloon to operate Citybus Route 20, 20A and 22M that run from Kai Tak to Tai Kok Tsui, Tsim Sha Tsui and Tok Kwa Wan, subject to approval of the Transport Department.

The construction of the bus is a joint project between Bravo Transport Services  – the parent company of Citybus and New World First Bus – and Wisdom (Fuijian) Motor Company. They worked closely from the concept, to design, to production, with a focus on enabling the bus to handle the city's topography and operating environment.

The bus will undergo a series of rigorous internal tests before completing the Transport Department's official vehicle inspection. The actual service operations will be announced in due course.

Bravo is committed to operate a full-fledge of zero-emission buses across its operations by 2045, five years head of the Hong Kong government carbon neutrality target. Currently, the company operates over 1,700 buses across Hong Kong, Kowloon and New Territories and carries over one million passengers daily.

The post HK’s first double-decker electric bus starts trial run appeared first on FutureIoT.

This was one of the key takeaways from a newly released global study entitled “The Race to Decarbonization”, which evaluate progress companies have made in pursuing  their sustainability goals.  Forrester Consulting in collaboration with Johnson Controls conducted an online survey in September 2021, polling over 2,348 sustainability strategy leaders in 25 countries  and across 19 industries.

“The survey clearly shows that business leaders in Southeast Asia see sustainability as the number one business priority now. And among the different key sustainability initiatives, energy efficient buildings and workspaces is high on the agenda, with 91% deeming this an investment priority within three years," said Charles Lim, leader, Southeast Asia, Johnson Controls. “More than three quarters of respondents have goals to reduce carbon emissions across their portfolio of buildings by 26% or more; and 11% are gunning for net zero or carbon negative.”

The global survey found that North America is the most aggressive with their carbon reduction goals. While the urgency among the private sector is picking up in Southeast Asia, more is needed. The ASEAN State of Climate Change Report noted that “there are still large gaps in implementation and ambition” based on emission reduction targets in 2030 and emission trends up to now.

Where to start a challenge

Although organisations recognise the benefits of implementing sustainability practices, many companies do not know where to start in preparing for critical business transformations. Top five hurdles today relate to managing multiple parties involved, lacking strategic plan, lacking external partners, understanding of changing policy requirements, and struggling to scale up.

The survey further found that only 18% of respondents in Southeast Asia have ESG reporting software to help measure their progress while 41% of respondents believe their organizations have a shortage of internal expertise, preventing them from tracking their carbon emissions effectively.

"In the race to decarbonisation, companies must align priorities to the demands of many stakeholders, work with partners to develop transparent sustainability roadmaps, and identify  metrics and adopt tools to track progress," said Mei Peng Hor, business development director, sustainable infrastructure, Asia Pacific, Johnson Controls.

She added: "More customers are looking for ways to make this process easier, and are transferring their sustainability commitments and the risk to reach these targets to an external partner that has the capability, scale and ecosystem. Our OpenBlue Net Zero Buildings as a Service, for example, has helped the University of Hawaii reduce energy use by 80% across four campuses, saving US$80 million, through energy retrofit and renewable energy solutions."

The post 70% of firms in SEA see sustainability as competitive advantage appeared first on FutureIoT.

Regardless of these challenges that limited the growth of IoT spending, IDC said the rising demand for remote operations, better network coverage, and the deployment of commercial 5G and testbeds are driving IoT adoption in the region.

In fact, based on its latest Worldwide Semi-annual Internet of Things Spending Guide,  IDC expects Asia/Pacific spending on IoT to reach US$436 billion in 2026, with a CAGR of 11.8% percent for the period 2021-2026.

"The ongoing deployment and expansion of 5G will drive the growth of connectivity use cases that utilize massive narrowband IoT as well as wideband/broadband IoT such as 4K IP cameras. Low Earth Satellites including nanosatellites and next-generation Very High Throughput Satellites will enable a wide range of remote connectivity uses cases relating to Smart Cities, environmental and sustainability monitoring, transportation infrastructure, energy and resources, and utilities," said Bill Rojas, research director for IDC Asia/Pacific.

From a pure spending perspective, in 2022, the largest portion of spending is expected to remain in the services category, representing roughly 40% of the overall IoT spending in the region.

Furthermore, organisations are increasingly establishing cross-functional IoT centers of excellence, emphasizing IT/OT convergence, which increases their reliance on system integrators and other outsourcing partners.

The hardware market for IoT will be the second-largest technology group in 2022, primarily driven by purchases of modules and sensors. Software will be the fastest growing technology category with a five-year CAGR of 13.3% with a focus on application and analytics software purchases. Connectivity spending will grow at 7.2% CAGR during the forecast period and will account for 7.6% of the total spend in 2026.

Manufacturing sector leads IoT adoption

According to the IDC study, discrete and process manufacturing will continue to be the top industries investing in IoT solutions in 2022 and in forecasted years, followed by state/local government and professional services. The ability to improve the product and service quality, efficiency, and customer experience are the primary motivations for these businesses to invest in IoT.

Industries that will experience the fastest growth in 2022 are retail and healthcare, with a growth of 11.8 % and 11%, respectively. Changes caused by the pandemic increased digitisation in retail processes, and continued the momentum of remote or contactless engagement are driving this growth.

IoT use cases that see the highest spending in 2022 are manufacturing operations, production asset management, omni-channel operations, public safety and emergency response and smart grids which follows similar growth patterns as the host industries. Together these use-cases will make more than one-third of the overall IoT spending in the region.

Use-case related to healthcare - bedside telemetry will continue to be one of the fastest-growing use-cases in 2022, along with Maintenance & Field Service and Airport Facility Automation.

“Enterprises in Asia/Pacific excluding Japan are actively pursuing digital transformation of business processes to understand better current difficulties and productivity gaps across the value chain. The use of IoT will facilitate better collaboration within the organization and the ecosystem” said Sharad Kotagi, market analyst at IDC IT Spending Guides, Customer Insights & Analysis.

IDC said government-led IoT initiatives and policies, and the emergence of Smart factories and Industry 4.0 have accelerated the IoT adoption across Asia Pacific countries.

Based on its latest study, China (PRC) continues to hold the lion's share, with more than 60% in 2022, followed by South Korea and India. Countries with the fastest IoT spending in 2022 are Singapore and Hong Kong.

The post IDC: IoT spending in APAC to reach US$436-B in 2026 appeared first on FutureIoT.

The solution will identify all facility-wide assets, deliver risk and vulnerability management capabilities, and provide continuous threat monitoring to protect enterprise investments.

“The integration of IoT in buildings is sparking an exciting shift across the sector, but like with any innovation, it also presents new risks,” said Annick Villeneuve, vice president for digital Enterprise Solutions, Schneider Electric.

Smart buildings face heightened exposure to risks

Indeed, Schneider Electric cited that IoT technology for buildings is expected to grow from an existing 1.7 billion connected devices at the end of 2020 to over 3 billion by 2025.

As these commercial buildings evolve into smart buildings of the future, they share at least one common trait: heightened exposure to risks. This is driving commercial buildings to digitize their assets, including modernising their building management system.

The sector must address the security challenges presented by smart buildings. Studies have shown that 57% of IoT devices are vulnerable to medium or high-severity attacks. Cyberattacks have already harmed several businesses, including critical infrastructure such as hospitals, data centers, and hotels. The commercial building sector must find ways to safeguard both its access to the company’s IT systems as well as its mission-critical infrastructure.

Villeneuve said: “For threat actors looking to disrupt operations, benefit financially and/or achieve other objectives, and in so doing to put individuals at risk, buildings can appear to be the perfect target. It is with this in mind that we are partnering with Claroty to bring our customers a comprehensive, industry-leading solution that meets the unique security and operational risks facing buildings of today and of the future.”

Protecting cyberphysical assets

As more IoT devices are deployed within the buildings space and increased connectivity between previously isolated operational technology, building management systems (BMS), and their IT counterparts, have made them attractive targets and vulnerable to cyberattacks. Additionally, facility managers oversee hundreds of vendors, service contractors, and technicians in a fragmented manner, increasing complexity and risk.

“When it comes to securing cyber-physical systems, including BMS, the number one priority is to keep physical processes operational and safe,” said Keith Carter, vice president of worldwide channels and Alliances, Claroty. “By fusing Claroty’s deep domain expertise and purpose-built technology with Schneider Electric’s renowned services and commitment to driving digital transformation globally, we are empowering our customers to reap the benefits of smart building technologies without increasing their exposure to cyber risk, thereby taking a profound step toward creating a more efficient, sustainable future for the world.”

The Cybersecurity Solutions for Buildings is designed to give building owners, facility operators and security teams a simple solution without adding further workload. It identifies baseline risks, continually reduces both cyber and asset risks, and identifies and remediates threats in their environment before services are interrupted. Some of its key features include:

• a simple, vendor agnostic solution with which they can easily fulfil secure remote access, asset inventory, efficiency, and other related requirements from building owners and asset managers.
• automated asset discovery and network mapping solution that identifies and catalogues all system assets (BMS, IoT, UPS, Power Systems, etc.).
• continuous threat detection solution that constantly monitors buildings networks to identify, assess, and alert at the earliest indicators of network and asset level anomalies.
• external, secure tunnels to connect to and maintain specific resources and assets in the building network easily and without introducing additional risk.
• dashboards and reporting capabilities to enable management and security teams to understand current situations, receive tailored recommendations, and drive the proper actions to reduce a building’s exposure to safety, operational, financial, and reputational risks.
• secure remote access (SRA) solution that is purpose-built for buildings and OT environments to increase building security when vendors, contractors, and technicians are performing remote maintenance activities.

Furthermore, the visibility and intelligence gained on the building OT and Asset Environment through the deployment of Schneider Electric’s Cybersecurity for Buildings solutions can also bring additional benefits to the building owners and operators to enhance their building operational efficiency and productivity with actionable insights.

The post Schneider Electric, Claroty unveil new offering to secure smart buildings appeared first on FutureIoT.

The partnership will help WeRide in accelerating its on-board application of automotive-grade smart solid-state LiDAR. It will also speed up the large-scale series production and commercial application of autonomous driving technologies.

RoboSense is a provider of smart LiDAR sensor systems while WeRide is a provider of L4 autonomous driving technologies.

“We support WeRide in achieving production and application of autonomous vehicles faster, more efficiently and on a larger scale with our large-scale production and delivery capacity of the leading smart solid-state LiDAR products, and to further deepen the auto industry reform by making pragmatic, bold and innovative efforts as a technology enterprise,” said  Chunchao Qiu, co-founder and executive president, RoboSense.

RoboSense has been exploring the autonomous driving industry for years and is anticipating an exponential growth in the large-scale commercial application of autonomous driving technologies amid the positive macro environment.

Constant technological innovation, aim at commercial application, and focus on large-scale production are the basis of the partnership between the two companies.

Currently, RoboSense has connected with a number of upstream and downstream partners in the industry to integrate advantageous resources and establish a complete supply chain. Deployment of a number of smart production lines of RoboSense in Guangzhou, Shenzhen and other cities are basically completed, with an expected annual production capacity of one million units, which guarantees a continuous and stable supply of advanced and reliable products for WeRide and other partners.

“With the strong support from RoboSense, WeRide gained rich experience in the application of solid-state LiDAR to autonomous vehicles and formed ideal solutions,” said Tony Han, founder and CEO, WeRide.

He added: “The sensor kit has been further optimised in terms of size and power consumption, while maintaining consistent accuracy, stability and safety in handling increasingly complex urban traffic conditions in China. This gives our next-generation SAE L2-L4 autonomous driving solution a strong competitive edge."

With their strategic cooperation, both companies will deepen industrial integration through technological innovation to provide a safer and convenient autonomous driving experience.

The post RoboSense, WeRide to advance L4 autonomous driving tech appeared first on FutureIoT.

The companies will also collaborate around creating and deploying smart factory IoT solutions for VinES batteries manufacturing and VinFast electric vehicles manufacturing.

“Vingroup has always been a pioneer in bringing consumers smart products and services integrated with world-class technologies, advanced features and outstanding experiences to improve their lives. We work towards realising this vision through partnerships like this, to create a smarter and more sustainable future for everyone,” said Le Thi Thu Thuy, vice chairwoman of Vingroup.

The collaboration is part of a continued effort from Vingroup to work with top tier global suppliers who can aid with manufacturing development, smart services and electric vehicle initiatives.

Vingroup recently adjusted its orientation and redefined three key groups of activities, namely technology and industry, trade and services, and social enterprise.

To develop the technology and industry group, Vingroup focuses on two main strategies: building Vingoup's technology ecosystem and connecting global intelligence – cooperating with the world's leading technology partners to accelerate the application of the most advanced and new technologies to Vingroup's products and services.

Advancing automotive technology

Under their new MOU, Vingroup and Intel will also  collectively define and build both an optimised and scalable computing architecture for AI training and inference for Vingroup's in-vehicle and cloud applications.

The applications will enable a specific in-vehicle experience for consumers and an optimised multi-cloud strategy to potentially migrate and deploy open-source in-vehicle and in-building applications. They can include high-performance data management systems for ADAS and Infotainment, manufacturing and supply chain management along with enterprise solutions for Vingroup facilities.

Both companies will also work together to define a shared vision of future in-vehicle computing platforms and build scalable in-vehicle computing platforms for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) based on Mobileye technology and infotainment systems that deliver a unique in-vehicle experience for Vingroup and VinFast customers and create a suite of services that will differentiate them from competitors.

"The digitisation of everything is contributing to the insatiable need for semiconductors, especially in the automotive sector. Intel has the depth and breadth of software, silicon and platforms, and process with at-scale manufacturing our partners need for their next-generation innovations. This collaboration with Vingroup can help deliver needed technology innovations for safer roads, more sustainable manufacturing and smarter cities," said Pat Gelsinger, Intel CEO.

The post Vingroup and Intel to develop smart technologies appeared first on FutureIoT.

Indeed, more than nine in 10 operators in all regions - including Asia Pacific- indicate they will increase the use of wearables, mobile printers and rugged tablets over the next few years, along with mobile dimensioning software that automates parcel and carton measurements.

In addition, 27% of warehouse operators globally and in APAC have already deployed some form of autonomous mobile robots (AMR) today. Within five years, that number is expected to grow to 92% in APAC and 90% worldwide.

These are some of the key highlights of a new Warehousing Vision Study conducted by Zebra Technologies between January and February 2022.  The survey polled more than 1,500 warehouse decision-makers and associates around the world, including Australia, China, India, Japan and Singapore.

“Labour shortages resulting from the recent global events are straining the regional and global supply chains, presenting a fulfilment gap across many sectors,” said Aik Jin Tan, APAC Vertical Solutions Lead for Manufacturing, Machine Vision/Fixed Industrial Scanning, Zebra Technologies. “This highlights the importance of a resilient and flexible supply chain. Hence it is encouraging to see warehouse operators increasingly adopt modern technologies to augment their workforce and mitigate these labour challenges.

Warehouse associates are also becoming more comfortable with their employers’ use of advanced technologies. Less than half (45%) globally said their employers have increased wages or offered bonuses amid labour constraints, yet most (82%) feel positively impacted by the situation. This trend continues in APAC, where nine in 10 warehouse associates report a positive outlook despite only 34% reporting that employers increased renumeration.

Employers are improving work conditions in other ways, such as giving them more technology to use on the job and leveraging technology to create more flexible work shifts. In fact, more than nine in 10 warehouse associates around the world agree on some level that technology advancements will make the warehouse environment more attractive to workers, even in times like these when supply chains are strained, demand is surging, and there’s increasing pressure to meet tighter deadlines.

Warehouse challenges a catalyst for change

The survey results showed warehouse operators are having a harder time getting customer orders out the door on time than they did three years ago, and they’re struggling to maintain inventory accuracy and visibility.

They also admit they’re expected to deliver orders faster than ever to keep up with the on-demand economy, with rising transportation costs taking their toll on over 40% of warehouse operators spanning manufacturing, transportation, wholesale distribution, logistics and retail. This may not be surprising considering that respondents indicate their shipping volumes have increased more than 20% on average over the past two years.

However, warehouse operators are viewing these challenges as catalysts for change and growth. Between now and 2025, over eight-in-10 expect to increase the number of stock-keeping units (SKU) they carry and the volume of shipped items. They also plan to expand returns management operations, offer more value-added services, and increase their physical footprints, with both the number and size of warehouses increasing.

While 61% of warehouse operators globally also want to increase headcount within the next year to right-size their workforces, they admit finding (55%) and training (54%) workers in a timely manner remain big challenges. This is especially true in APAC where 53% report difficulty finding workers and 59% indicate training is challenging. As a result, over eight in 10 decision-makers around the world agree they will have to rely more on automation in the future.

Augmenting the Workforce with Automation

While most warehouse operators worldwide will deploy AMRs for person-to-goods (P2G) picking, material movements and other automated inventory moves, more will invest in software that helps automate analytics and decision-making. In APAC, 95% of decision-makers indicated this willingness to invest in such software in a bid to raise worker effectiveness and efficiency and reduce labour costs, outpacing the global average by just a bit (94%).

“Automation is allowing businesses to create different types of work environments and allowing people to take on roles that are more interesting, fulfilling and career elevating,” said Christanto Suryadarma, Southeast Asia (SEA) Sales Vice President, Zebra Technologies Asia Pacific. “As a result, 56% of APAC decision-makers believe that the most important labour initiative is to reduce unnecessary tasks so associates can focus on more customer-centric work and utilize their workforce more efficiently. By investing in RFID technologies that improve situational awareness, automate workforce and task management like RFD90 and FX9600, decision-makers can effectively scale warehouse operations and keep up with the on-demand economy.”

Automation increases job satisfaction and worker retention rate

 Contrary to popular opinion, the study respondents believe automation may help keep more people in their jobs and fill empty ones. Nearly eight in 10 warehouse associates in APAC (79%) and globally (78%) say walking fewer miles per day would make their jobs more enjoyable, even if they had to pick or handle more items, and many strongly believe AMRs could make warehouse jobs less stressful.

Decision-makers should take note; only 36% of those surveyed in APAC and 41% worldwide completely agree implementing warehouse technologies such as robotics and devices can help attract and retain workers even though most associates:

• who work alongside AMRs today confirm they have helped increase productivity and reduce walking/travel time (83%), reduce errors (73%), and enable advancement to new roles or opportunities (65%);
• claim they are more likely to work for an employer that gives them modern devices to use for tasks versus an employer that provides older or no devices (83%).

“Though automation has been a priority for companies for years, it has increasingly become an urgent investment area due to unexpected disruptions and seasonal peaks which requires the workforce to scale quickly,” added Tan. “Interestingly, associates feel more strongly about this than warehouse operators right now, which further adds to the business imperative of an augmented workforce in the warehouse environment.”

Five-year technology outlook

Globally, 85% of decision-makers say they have implemented mobility so front-line workers can capture each inventory move they make, and most feel they are optimising the use of their devices to fit the task, safety, and ergonomics.

However, warehouse associates (84%) and decision-makers (79%) are concerned they will not meet their business objectives unless more technology investments are made to improve operations, with associates in the transportation (92%) and logistics (88%) sectors feeling most strongly about this need.

As a result, more than six in 10 decision-makers said they will invest in technologies that increase inventory and asset visibility within their warehouses and overall visibility throughout supply chains over the next five years.

Nine in 10 expect their use of sensor-based technologies such as radio frequency identification (RFID), computer vision, fixed industrial scanning, and machine vision systems to become more prevalent over the next five years.

As businesses invest in advanced technologies that enable more visibility, real-time guidance and data-driven performance, they’re focusing on increasing team productivity and better utilisation of assets, equipment and people, which equates to improved worker well-being and overall market competitiveness. However, it will become critical for warehouse operators to become more thoughtful about how they implement and integrate technologies as they increasingly digitalise workflows and scale systems.

The post Warehouse operators to raise tech spending in next five years appeared first on FutureIoT.

These bioinspired sensors could usher in the next generation of artificial-vision systems used in autonomous vehicles and manufacturing, as well as finding exciting new applications in edge computing and the Internet of Things.

"They will greatly improve machine vision systems used for visual analysis and identification tasks," said Dr. Chai Yang, associate professor at the Department of Applied Physics, and Assistant Dean (Research), Faculty of Applied Science and Textiles, PolyU, who led the research.

Improving machine vision

Machine vision systems are cameras and computers that capture and process images for tasks such as facial recognition. They need to be able to "see" objects in a wide range of lighting conditions, which demands intricate circuitry and complex algorithms. Such systems are rarely efficient enough to process a large volume of visual information in real time—unlike the human brain.

The new bio-inspired sensors may offer a solution through directly adapting different light intensities by the sensors, instead of relying on backend computation. The human eye adapts to different levels of illumination, from very dark to very bright and vice versa, which allows us to identify objects accurately under a range of lighting conditions. The new sensors aim to mimic this adaptability.

"The human pupil may help adjust the amount of light entering the eye," said Dr. Chai, "but the main adaptation to brightness is performed by retina cells."

Natural light intensity spans 280 dB. The new sensors developed by Dr Chai's team have an effective range of up to 199 dB, compared with only 70 dB for conventional silicon-based sensors. The human retina can adapt to environments under sunlight to starlight, with a range of about 160 dB.

Light detectors developed

To achieve this, the research team developed light detectors, called phototransistors, using a dual layer of atomic-level ultrathin molybdenum disulphide, a semiconductor with unique electrical and optical properties. The researchers then introduced "charge trap states"—impurities or imperfections in a solid's crystalline structure that restrict the movement of charge—to the dual layer.

"These trap states enable the storage of light information," the researchers reported, "and dynamically modulate the optoelectronic properties of the device at the pixel level." By controlling the movement of electrons, the trap states enabled the researchers to precisely adjust the amount of electricity conducted by the phototransistors. This in turn allowed them to control the device's photosensitivity, or its ability to detect light.

Each of the new vision sensors is made up of arrays of such phototransistors. They mimic the rod and cone cells of the human eye, which are respectively responsible for detecting dim and bright light. As a result, the sensors can detect objects in differently lit environments as well as switch between, and adapt to, varying levels of brightness—with an even greater range than the human eye.

"The sensors reduce hardware complexity and greatly increase the image contrast under different lighting conditions," said Dr Chai, "thus delivering high image recognition efficiency."

The post New bio-inspired sensors to give machines human-like vision appeared first on FutureIoT.

The testbeds are guided by Singapore’s Technical Reference (TR) 93, the new national guidelines that seek to harmonise data exchanges between autonomous robots and building infrastructure for effective deployment through horizontal and vertical spaces.

“As a smart and Caring General Hospital, we innovate and collaborate widely within and beyond healthcare to create new value, benefit our communities, and contribute to the nation's efforts in Research, Innovation and Enterprise,” said Professor Ng Wai Hoe, chief executive officer, CGH.

He added: “The invaluable partnerships with CLI, KONE, Enterprise Singapore and other industry players enable us to leapfrog healthcare solutions to new ground and open up endless possibilities. We are excited that RoMi-H, which first started as a solution for healthcare, can now be integrated with smart infrastructure, potentially accelerating the scaling up of automation and robotics technologies in Singapore and the world."

Touted as the world’s first, the standardised RoMi-H, short for Robotics Middleware for Healthcare, has paved the way for multiple robots with different proprietary systems from different technology providers to communicate and sync together through common data exchanges.

RoMi-H  is developed by CGH's Centre for Healthcare Assistive and Robotics Technologies (CHART) and other partners.

Now, by enabling integration with the building infrastructure through efficient communications with lifts and doorways, these various robots can travel autonomously and safely through indoor and outdoor spaces and gain access to various storeys in a multi-storey building.

These crucial developments led by cross-industry efforts are a boost to Singapore's robotics ecosystem in line with the national Research, Innovation, and Enterprise 2025 plans, as they help to reduce the time and costs needed to integrate robots with buildings, enhance efficiencies, support the safe deployment of robots within dynamic environments, as well as create new opportunities and jobs.

First-of-its-kind testbeds

Leveraging CGH's technology expertise and CLI's global network of partners through its Smart Urban Co-Innovation Lab, the first-of-its-kind testbeds are designed to enable industry players to interface RoMi-H with KONE's next-generation lifts, which comes with cloud connectivity capabilities and open application programming interface (API) that is aligned with TR 93.

Heartbeat @ Bedok is one of the testbed sites, where CGH and KONE have successfully integrated robots with a next-generation lift.

The other testbed site at The Galen at Singapore Science Park 2, provides a realistic, accessible and secure operating environment for companies to "plug and play" their own technologies and test the integration with lifts. This will allow building owners in any sector to interweave functions of diverse robots into complex operational workflows.

Over 25 local and international industry players have shown interest to be part of the testbed, and more technology players, start-ups, SMEs, as well as adopters including facility management companies, are expected to join and benefit from this initiative in the near future.

“Our collaboration with CGH and KONE allows us to further advance innovation by bringing partners from our global network to testbed cutting-edge robotics solutions for the built environment industry,” said Aylwin Tan, chief customer solutions officer, CLI, and director of Smart Urban Co-Innovation Lab.

He added that CLI has been at the forefront of innovation in support of the Singapore's efforts to build a smart and sustainable city.

“As Southeast Asia's first industry-led lab for smart cities solutions development, our Smart Urban Co-Innovation Lab has engaged with over 700 companies across a wide range of industries to identify opportunities and co-create solutions for smart sustainable cities,” said Tan.

New standard in syncing robots with building infrastructure

RoMi-H has been successfully test bedded for deployment at public sector hospitals and at COVID-19 Treatment Facilities to augment operations and care. Its innovative interface enables robots to navigate autonomously in human-rich environments, proactively and independently de-conflict their navigation routes with robots of different makes across narrow common pathways, and execute their individual tasks in a co-ordinated manner. This also allows for a universal charging system and fleet management to be developed so that the different robots can be more efficiently managed.

Furthermore, the development of the TR93 standards provide guidance to robot manufacturers and building owners in deploying multiple robots in smart buildings and accelerate the take-up of robotics technologies in multi-storey buildings.

TR93  was driven by CGH's CHART and local engineering firm HOPE Technik, and supported by the National Robotics Programme and Enterprise Singapore.

With the ability to integrate autonomous robots with next-generation lifts and automated doorways, technology providers, system integrators and building owners can explore and easily adopt the innovative use of robotics technologies in buildings.

Choy Sauw Kook, director-general (Quality & Excellence), Enterprise Singapore, said: "The Singapore Standards Council, overseen by Enterprise Singapore, is proud to have worked with CHART and various stakeholders to enhance the integration and adoption of safe and effective robotics solutions through the development of TR 93. We envision that this new standard will help spur more deployment of robots in the built environment as it provides a common data interchange platform for various system and equipment providers to work together."

KONE, on the other hand, is proud to be a key contributor to the development of TR 93.

“New technologies, such as in the area of robotics, are rapidly changing the way our customers construct and operate buildings. We have increased investments in advanced technologies and broadened our digital capabilities to collaborate and co-innovate with different stakeholders in the built environment sector. We see great opportunities to progress our efforts in Singapore, with its strong focus to be a smart and sustainable nation,” said Samer Halabi, executive vice president, KONE Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa.

Forging vibrant partnerships in East Coast

Meanwhile,  CGH and CLI – the two of the founding partners of Vibrant @ East Coast – joined forces with KONE, to co-create innovative solutions to benefit communities and industries under the East Coast Vibrant Community Footprints

The official launch of the partnership was witnessed by Guest-of-Honour, Heng Swee Keat, Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies, Chairman of the National Research Foundation and Adviser to East Coast Group Representation Constituency (GRC) at Heartbeat @ Bedok.

CGH and CLI also signed a Memorandum of Understanding to create co-innovation and deployment opportunities to drive discovery, adaptation and adoption of smart cities solutions, and develop initiatives to excite, educate and engage the community in health and wellness. Innovations arising from the partnership are expected to overcome common challenges, increase productivity and help the industry, including small-and medium-sized enterprises (SME), to grow.

The post CGH, CapitaLand Investment and KONE join hands to integrate robotics in buildings appeared first on FutureIoT.

Seaports globally have increased their automation initiatives to mitigate port congestion. Equipment like gantries, automated port gates, stacking cranes, and horizontal transport solutions, such as AGVs that are transport containers and loads to and from ships, have been the most productivity-enhancing solutions in seaports.

"Automation enhances the reliability, consistency, predictability (via data analytics), and security of port operations. From an environmental perspective, automation can lead to lower energy consumption, resulting in a reduced carbon footprint. Automated ports are also far safer than conventional ports. The number of human-related disruptions falls as performance becomes more predictable with automation and data capture solutions," said Adhish Luitel, senior analyst, supply chain management and logistics at ABI Research.

Ports future-proofing infrastructure

To complement the deployment of automated equipment, port authorities have also been investing in future-proofing infrastructure and introducing 5G/LTE private networks covering entire port premises.

Recently, seaports have become a primary focus for the telco sector as cellular private networks are imperative for streamlined operations of automated solutions, data capture via Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, and communications between devices or personnel.

Telco providers like Vodafone and Huawei have been partnering with authorities to deploy private networks in various seaports worldwide. Similarly, vendors like AEye, VDL Automated Vehicles, and Konecranes have been deploying solutions, such as AGVs, automated cranes, and sensors, to integrate with the private network infrastructure.

"Streamlined automation in ports also highlights the need for huge volumes of timely data that is required to control and monitor all the moving assets. To enable automated solutions to function to their fullest and work with each other, ports need to provide a level of data reliability in a cost-effective manner. For this, wireless connectivity is the best option," said Luitel.

The post Seaports to deploy over 150,000 AGVs by 2027 appeared first on FutureIoT.

"A lot of thought went into the design of the new warehouse. It is a best-in-class facility that will serve our customers more efficiently. It is also a green building with sustainable practices to reduce carbon emissions and help our customers achieve a greener supply chain," said George Lawson, managing director, DHL Global Forwarding Australia.

The company broke ground today of the site where the 4,880-sqm facility will rise to meet Brisbane’s growing demand  for international cold chain services. The facility will also support the growth of general cargo in Queensland.

Lawson said: “The expansion of our facilities at Brisbane airport reflects the tremendous growth in perishables export and a growing south east Queensland population that is expected to rise by 31 per cent over the next 20 years. Brisbane's economy is predicted to surge by 2031 and with the new facility, we are ready to support our customers for future growth."

Set to be ready by early 2023,  DHL Global Forwarding is investing AU$17 million over ten years for  the new facility.

Strategically located at Brisbane airport, the facility offers air side access, the first and only freight forwarder to have such exclusive access, and is close to the Port of Brisbane within 20 km or 18 minutes’ drive.

The new facility is a five green star rating according to the Green Building Council of Australia, featuring solar panels, reusable batteries to power most of the warehouse operations, rainwater harvesting and EV charging stations. Plans are also in the works to introduce carbon offsetting and insetting for a carbon neutral supply chain for customers.

The facility is also designed to be a great working space to support a mobile and hybrid workforce and to enhance safety. "We want this new facility to also be a great space for our employees. Interactive screens are in place to facilitate virtual and physical collaboration, while new technologies will be implemented to enhance safety," Lawson said.

The post DHL to build green cold chain facility at Brisbane Airport appeared first on FutureIoT.

This IATF 16949:2016 standard is one of the most widely used in the automotive industry – and one of the most difficult for manufacturers to meet, which highlights VIAVI’s commitment to supporting Tier 1 automotive suppliers.

IATF 16949 emphasises the development of a process-oriented quality management system that provides for continual improvement, defect prevention and reduction of variation and waste in the supply chain.

IATF reviewed 12 months of production data to assess the VIAVI quality management system at its Suzhou, China, facility.

“Many companies have been struggling to meet this standard’s stringent requirements. The fact that we did highlights our company’s robust internal controls and strong process orientation, which ensures that our customers receive the consistently high quality and performance that they depend on,” said Luke Scrivanich, senior vice president and general manager, Optical Security & Performance Products, VIAVI.

Since 2012, VIAVI has produced more than 200 million optical filters for mission-critical applications such as automotive LiDAR for crash avoidance. Tier 1 automotive suppliers use VIAVI thin-film-based light management technologies to maximise the performance of their sensing solutions.

VIAVI optical filters can improve a LiDAR system’s signal-to-noise ratio by up to 150%, helping to protect drivers, passengers, vehicles and cargo against avoidable accidents. These optical filters also have features that are crucial for autonomous and semi-autonomous vehicles, such as a square bandpass to maximise accuracy.

The post VIAVI automotive LiDAR optical filters receive IATF certification appeared first on FutureIoT.

The company announced its plans in the heels of securing a US$15-million Series B funding led by Meituan, China's leading tech and online retail company, and Fosun, a global innovation-driven consumer group.

"While we've previously focused on the Chinese market, 2021 has brought us more success outside China. We're looking forward to making our solutions available to a broader audience and cementing our position as a key player globally," stated Andy Lu, partner & SVP of RobotPlusPlus.

To support its global expansion, the company is set to open an office in Singapore to serve the Asian and Middle Eastern markets.

RobotPlusPlus has a portfolio of robotic solutions for crucial industries such as maritime, ship repair, petrochemicals, and power generation, with hundreds of magnetic crawler robots deployed globally. The company focuses providing aerial work safety for operators while improving the efficiency of Inspection, Maintenance, and Repair (IMR) solutions and lowering operating costs for asset owners.

With its large team of skilled engineers and operators in place, RobotPlusPlus also provides Robot as a Service(RaaS) services to clients, enabling them not only to offer timely and cost-effective services but also to gain insights into industrial application scenarios.

"An aging workforce, rising labour costs, frequent aerial work-related accidents, and the COVID-19 pandemic have had an accelerative effect on the aerial work robotics sector," said Pu Xiao, investment manager at Fosun. "RobotPlusPlus empowers people with robots while helping increase operational safety and productivity. We're excited to support the company in leveraging AI and RaaS to optimise aerial work environments and enable robotic applications."

Hua-yang Xu, founder and CEO of RobotPlusPlus reiterated the company’s commitment to delivering “more transformational results” to its customers

The company plans to use its fresh funding to upgrade current products by integrating more autonomous technologies

The post China’s RobotPlusPlus eyes overseas market appeared first on FutureIoT.

To cater to the demand for reliable inspection tools, Flyability has unveiled what it claims to be  the world's first collision-tolerant drone equipped with a LiDAR sensor for indoor mapping. Powered by new SLAM engine, the new drone also creates 3D models of points of interest (POIs) as it flies.

With its new Elios 3 drone, Flyability continues its pledge to create cutting-edge technology designed to keep humans out of dangerous places to perform the most demanding inspection tasks.

"The Elios 3 has some of the very best stabilisation in the world, a modular payload, the ability to create 3D models in real time while in flight, and it paves the way towards an increasingly autonomous future," said Patrick Thévoz, co-founder and CEO of Flyability.

Flyability specialises pioneered confined space inspection drones that help companies improve safety, reduce downtimes, and cut costs for their internal inspections. Its drones are used in diverse industries from power generation, oil & gas, mining, chemical, maritime to infrastructure and utilities. It has  almost one thousand clients in over 60 countries, with offices located in Switzerland, China, Singapore, and the US.

The company has been working on the Elios 3 for four years. In that time, its engineers have spent thousands of hours on research and development and performed over 200 missions in the field to collect feedback, learn what clients want, and refine the technology in order to make the most reliable indoor drone on the market.

"For industrial inspections, the Elios 3 is a key enabler of Industry 4.0, presenting an inspection solution that can make inspections safer, more efficient, and less expensive than ever before,” said Thévoz.

Mapping areas that are out of reach or too dangerous for humans is very difficult, yet critical to support operational decisions in many industries.

The Elios 3 comes with an Ouster OS0-32 LiDAR sensor, allowing inspectors to collect data for the creation of survey-grade 3D models using software from Flyability's new partner, GeoSLAM.

By combining the best of confined space drone data capture and 3D geospatial software technology, Flyability's partnership with GeoSLAM enables professionals to produce survey-grade point clouds of the most inaccessible places in their workplace, completely removing the strain of approximations and guesswork from their operations.

In addition to carrying a LiDAR sensor, the Elios 3 can accommodate a second payload that allows it to be customised for each individual user's needs.

Creating 3D models in real time

The Elios 3 is powered by a new proprietary SLAM engine called FlyAware, which allows LiDAR Data to be turned into 3D models in real time, while the drone is in flight.

The new SLAM engine on Elios 3 delivers ground-breaking stability. Combining data from the drone's three optical cameras and its LiDAR sensor to catch the tiniest unpredictable movement and instruct the flight controller to compensate for it. This stability and other ease-of-use features make the Elios 3 easy to operate, so that new pilots can be trained and perform their first inspection in the same day.

Using Flyability's new Inspector 4.0 software made for reporting with the Elios 3, inspectors can now visualise POIs found during an inspection in a high-resolution 3D map using Inspector 4.0's 3D Map Viewer. This feature lets stakeholders navigate from POI to POI in a digital representation of their assets, providing a clear visualisation of the defects found within them to support planning, monitoring, and maintenance efforts.

"The Elios 3 is the single biggest project that Flyability has ever undertaken," said Adrien Briod, CTO of Flyability. "If you think of the Elios 2 as your classic flip phone, only designed to make phone calls, the Elios 3 is the smartphone. It's made to be customized for the specific demands of each user, letting you attach the payload you need so you can use the tool as you like, and allowing it to grow and improve over time with new payloads or software solutions."

As part of the effort to make the Elios 3, Flyability collaborated with top universities around the world by joining Team Cerberus, which competed in—and won—DARPA's multi-year Sub-T challenge for autonomous robotics in underground environments.

The post New drone creates 3D models while in flight appeared first on FutureIoT.

BotAiot will build a blockchain-based electronic certificate consortium chain for the Highway Research Institute to store and encrypt data collected by online metering and calibration-testing equipment of commercial transportation vehicles originating from both highways and vehicles.

BotAiot's electronic consortium chain will also provide consortium chain member management, intelligent contract development, certificate issuance, query, cancellation, management and other functions, as well as blockchain custody services. The total number of devices in the e-certificate alliance chain service exceeds six million units, which are expected to be completely covered in the next two years. BotAiot will charge a fixed service fee per unit per year.

“Luokung has been actively promoting the application of blockchain technology in various fields of spatial-temporal big data. This contract marks the beginning of our commercial services in the field of highway transportation,” said Xuesong Song, chairman and CEO of Luokung Technology.

Luokung Technology  is the operating affiliate of BotAiot. The latter is a leading spatial-temporal intelligent big data services company and provider of interactive location-based services and high-definition maps in China.

Song added: “Combining Luokung's blockchain and artificial intelligence technologies, we anticipate strengthening our relationships and expanding our scope of blockchain services with more enterprise and institutional partners that recognise Luokung's competitiveness in highway transportation."

The BotAiot electronic blockchain data and certificate storage platform integrates cloud computing, artificial intelligence, multimedia live broadcast, Internet of Things, electronic fence, blockchain and other technologies to realise remote online data collection of road and vehicle-related metering equipment.

Combined with artificial intelligence technologies, BotAiot's service system can automatically identify, label and test collected data, then store the data, testing reports and certificates on the blockchain, and issue an electronic certificate for the device. The system can improve the calibration test efficiency of transportation infrastructure and equipment by shortening the test cycle, thereby enhancing traffic safety and efficiency, and significantly reducing labour costs.

The system will be applied to multiple scenarios involving calibration tests of metering equipment, including vehicle axle type identification equipment at national highway entrances and exits, vehicle size identification equipment, on-board equipment on long-distance buses, tourist buses, trucks, and hazardous materials transport vehicles, as well as highway bridges and tunnels condition inspection equipment.

"Blockchain and other distributed ledger technology services are fundamentally changing the service models of various industries, helping enterprises reconstruct and manage identity, data, brand, provenance, professional certification, copyright and other assets while improving the security of data management and the immutability of transaction authentication and records,” said Xueyu Lu, CEO of BotAiot.

The post China’s Highway Research Institute to deploy blockchain system appeared first on FutureIoT.

More EV fast chargers are expected to be installed in other SM malls in the coming months.

“Part of our commitment is building a greener environment for everyone. We will always strive to ramp up our efforts to give back to our communities through our innovative projects in driving sustainability in our 79 malls nationwide,” SM Supermalls President Steven T. Tan said.

The in-mall charging stations are located in SM AURA B1 Parking, SM Mall of Asia 3rd Level North Parking Building, and SM North Edsa 3rd Level North Parking Tower, have two Wallbox Pulsar Plus 7.4KW AC chargers per mall. These chargers support e-Vehicle brands such as Audi, BMW, Fiat, Ford, GMC, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Volkswagen, and Hyundai, among others.

The launch of the EV charging stations is part of SM Supermalls’ ongoing partnership with the Department of Energy, Department of Transportation, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Science and Technology, and Department of Trade and Industry in assisting the government accelerate its renewable energy and sustainability initiatives.

“We will continue our staunch support of the government’s new EV law and the National Renewable Energy Program to promote a more eco-friendly society for all Filipinos. Our goal is to increase our share of renewable energy sources by 50% by the end of 2022,” Tan said.

As of 2020, there are 12,965 registered EVs in the Philippines. SM Supermalls is one of the first mall chains to establish in-mall e-Vehicle charging sites in the country.

In 2018, SM North Edsa inaugurated its first EV charging station to service electric public transport routes and most recently these EV chargers have been updated.

The post SM launched EV charging stations in three Metro Manila malls appeared first on FutureIoT.

With the unprecedented amount of transportation and mapping data that it has gathered over the last 20 years, TMAP will be able to help its partners design optimal air taxi routes, infrastructure networks and overall mobility service that cater to the preference of local customers.

“TMAP’s deep knowledge and understanding of mobility needs across Korea, along with millions of daily users across Korea, makes them a great partner and platform through which to bring our aerial ridesharing service to customers,” said Justin Lang, head of partnerships and corporate strategy at Joby. “South Korea is a remarkable opportunity for our aircraft to improve lives and save people time, and working with SKT and TMAP puts us in the best position to deliver a revolutionary service that is clean, quiet, and affordable.”

Joby Aviation develops all-electric aircraft for commercial passenger service.

With a maximum range of 150 miles (241 kilometres), a top speed of 200 mph (321 km/h), and a low noise profile that will allow it to access urban areas, Joby's piloted electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft is designed to make convenient, emissions-free air travel an everyday reality.

In February, Joby and SKT  announced an agreement to work closely on introducing emissions-free aerial ridesharing to Korean cities and communities in support of the “K-UAM” (Korean Urban Air Mobility) Roadmap laid out by the South Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport.

Lee Jong Ho, CEO of TMAP Mobility, said: “By cooperating with Joby, TMAP will become a platform operator that can offer a seamless transportation service between the ground and the sky.”

TMAP  jointly owns on-demand ride-hailing app UT along with Uber, a partner to Joby since 2019, which will enable multi-modal journeys that seamlessly integrate both ground and air travel.

Together with SK Telecom, TMAP and Joby will work together to integrate emissions-free aerial ridesharing into TMAP’s transportation services.

While Joby’s aerial ridesharing service will be operated directly by the company, its strategy is to partner with local companies committed to delivering exceptional customer service and operational excellence to launch its service in select international markets.

The post TMAP joins Joby and SKT to bring air taxis to South Korea appeared first on FutureIoT.

The pilot services are currently confined within a designated area of 60sqkm in Yizhuang in south-eastern Beijing, home to approximately 300,000 residents. For now, the services are free to the public who can book for a ride using each company’s mobile app called Apollo Go and PonyPilot+ respectively. The services are available during daylight hours.

The permits, issued by the head office of the Beijing High-Level Automated Demonstration Area (BJHAD), requires both companies to keep an operator in the front passenger seat to take over in case of emergencies.

“The permit represents a benchmark regulation for the global autonomous vehicle industry, given the complexity and high density of urban traffic in the Chinese capital,” Baidu said in a statement. The company added it would start off with 10 vehicles under the driverless robotaxi program and with plans to add 30 more at a later stage.

The introduction of the new driverless robotaxis mark Beijing’s steady progression from manned autonomous driving to unmanned autonomous driving. Last November, after a period of testing, Baidu and Pony.ai received a commercial permit to run fee-charging robotaxi services that have safety operators in the driver’s seat.

Tiancheng Lou, co-founder and CTO of Pony.ai said comprehensive tests were done to ensure safety before the launch of the driverless robotaxi service.

“We ensured the technical quality of our system by successfully handling a wide range of extreme and complex scenarios. We did this by conducting multiple technical validations and iterations of driverless scenarios, and by improving system redundancy design, remote assistance platform development and fleet operation management,” he said.

Its permit to operate driverless robotaxis in Beijing comes on the heels of Pony.ai’s new license for a fee-charging, manned autonomous robotaxi service in Guangzhou, which begins this month. The company will ply 100 autonomous vehicles in the entire 800sqkm stretch of the street of Nansha.

The post Driverless robotaxis launched in Beijing appeared first on FutureIoT.

The program involves the installation of a monitoring device that plugged into an electrical outlet in the house. The device measures the amount of electricity consumed by connected home appliances such as television and microwave.

"We will take care of socially isolated households by installing smart plugs that allow us to regularly monitor and provide emergency treatment for households at risk of lonely death," Seoul official Ahn Hyun-min said in a statement.

Established by the Seoul City Government in October 2021, the smart plug program addresses the growing number of elderly people living by themselves. When the device detects lower power consumption, it triggers an alert for the city’s social welfare officials to visit the house and inquire about the person’s safety.

During its initial roll out seven months ago, a little over 2,700 households were enrolled into the program. A total of 154 emergency cases were detected and taken care of during this period. Most cases involved either people in poor health because of alcohol abuse or those with restricted movement in need of aid or those who cannot feed themselves.

For the expanded smart plug program, the Seoul City Government will select vulnerable household in 25 districts and the elderly living alone will be given priority.

South Korea has a growing number of single-person households. According to the country’s national statistics office, the number has reached 6.64 million in 2020, representing nearly 32% of the total households. About 1.6 million of these single households are aged 65 or older.

According to data released by the national statistics office in 2021, the number of South Korea's single-person households reached 6.64 million in 2020, accounting for 31.7 percent of total households. Some 50% of them were in their 40s. About 1.6 million are single households aged 65 or older. Some 43% of people who died of a lonely death in 2019 were elderly.

The post Seoul expands IoT-based smart plug program appeared first on FutureIoT.

The study also showed that indoor air quality (70%) ,cleaning frequency (65%) and virus transmission risks (61%) are key concerns among Singapore residents who were polled.

“This sheds some light on the concern levels of Singaporean workers as many are now heading back to the office. With 64% indicating they’re somewhat or very concerned about contracting Covid-19 at work, office cleanliness and safety are top of mind,” said Stephen Tracy, chief operating officer at consumer research firm Milieu Insight.

Milieu Insight conducted the study in collaboration with SoftBank Robotics and Infogrid, to understand employee sentiments about their office cleanliness since the pandemic

Tracy added: “There’s an enormous opportunity in applying data and robotics to address these concerns. And the study shows that support is high for integrating things like more data and transparency around office cleaning practices, as well as the integration of robotics, including robo-vacuums.’’

Indeed, nearly 75% of those surveyed want to see  greater transparency on cleanliness statistics

“This survey conducted in collaboration with Milieu Insight is extremely insightful for employers and building owners to understand the importance of using data to reassure our Singapore workforce that there are specific benchmarks in place to ensure that their office is safe and clean,” said Kenichi Yoshida, chief business officer, SoftBank Robotics Group. SoftBank Robotics is the company behind the autonomous AI-driven robot called Whiz.

SoftBank Robotics’ Cobots (collaborative robots) are specifically designed with the principles of human-robot interaction and to support an organization’s current staff, not replace them. Deploying autonomous cleaning cobots can help impact the bottom-line for organisations seeking efficient solutions that reduce repetitive or strenuous tasks for the cleaning staff, allowing them to focus on nuanced, uniquely human needs and improving overall cleaning efficacy.

Using cobotics to improve employee experience

Meanwhile, SoftBank Robotics recently partnered with Infogrid to integrate the latter’s AI-powered building management platform into the Whiz cleaning robot.  Infogrid’s multi-sensor technology and analytical dashboard will help companies deliver a better working environment.

Yoshida added: “Cobotics is the collaboration between workers and robots, or other automation tools to improve employee experience. Whiz’s smart AI cleaning with real-time data on indoor air quality using Infogrid sensors and its analytical dashboard can deliver peace of mind to both employers and employees concerned with the risks of transmission of airborne viruses at the office.”

“Our Smart Building Platform when deployed with Whiz provides the reassurance that businesses and their employees need as they return to the office,” said  Ross Sheil, senior vice president for global revenue, Infogrid. “By being able to monitor and report on indoor air quality in real time, businesses can take immediate action to keep their employees safe and also improve productivity and mental wellbeing. Our partnership with SoftBank Robotics allows us to ensure that building managers are able to make the right decisions at the right time based on real data.”

Meanwhile, SoftBank Robotics has introduced GERMii UV-C for Whiz, a disinfection and vacuum cleaning 2-in-1 function for Whiz that is able to eliminate surface pathogens in Singapore. Its features include obstacle detection, fall prevention (LIDAR sensor, 3D camera), impact detection (sensor-installed bumper), anomaly detection (Cliff sensors, wheel contact sensors,  and emergency brake function).  Whiz has its own proprietary BrainOS Navigation Software that helps determine the best cleaning route based on its real-time surrounding environment.

By deploying the newest Whiz products with Infogrid’s smart technology, organisations can monitor their office indoor air quality, occupancy levels, building usage, humidity levels and other AI-powered insights to take action to improve the workplace environment.

The post 75% of Singapore workers give cleaning cobots a nod appeared first on FutureIoT.

Lee Kum Kee (Hong Kong) Foods Limited has earmarked HK$46 million to build its new oyster sauce smart production line, which is scheduled to start operation in the first quarter of 2024.

The new fully automated production line will produce 20,000 bottles of oyster sauce per hour, doubling the production capacity of the company's oyster sauce manufacturing plant at Tai Po InnoPark. Artificial intelligence (AI) will be deployed in the new line to monitor the production process and to gather real-time data to enhance product traceability and overall operational efficiency.

The  company last week received HK$15 million under the RFS to partially fund the project.

“We are glad to receive funding support for our new Oyster Sauce Smart Production Line project under the RFS. We are committed to implementing digital upgrade and smart factory transformation, in order to enhance our production efficiency and satisfy consumer needs,” said Kathy Lam, CEO, Lee Kum Kee International Holdings.

Launched in July 2020 under the auspices of the city’s Innovation and Technology Commission (ITC), the RFS provides subsidy to manufacturers in Hong Kong who are upgrading their factories into smart production lines. The scheme offers a matching financial support amounting to one-third of the approved project cost, capped at a maximum ceiling of HK$15 million per project. Projects under the scheme are expected to be completed within 24 months.

Upgrading production processes

Lee Kum Kee (Hong Kong) Foods is the latest local food manufacturer to avail of the RFS initiative.

In January of this year,  the ITC approved a HK$14.9 million RFS project to help Leun Tai Hong Kong Fresh Liquid Eggs Limited to establish its smart production line  for its fresh liquid egg products. The new smart facility will be similarly located at the Tai Po InnoPark.

The smart production line project is expected to increase the daily production of fresh liquid eggs by two to three times, while lowering the production cost by 20% to 30%.

Established in 1957, Luen Tai Hong is  a key local supplier of fresh liquid eggs (with a market share of nearly 30%) for many restaurants and food manufacturers in Hong Kong. It established the first pasteurised liquid eggs factory in the city in 2013.

Leun Tai Hong last month has enlisted the help of the Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) to customise the design of its new smart production line.

“At present, 30 tons of fresh egg liquid are produced every day, mainly relying on manual supervision and productivity is limited. With intelligent production, the production capacity can increase by 2 to 3 times, with 60 to 70 tons of fresh egg liquid to be produced per day,” said Young Kam-yim, managing director of Luen Tai Hong.

He added:  “At the same time, manpower, production time and human error will be reduced, achieving overall cost saving of up to 30%. Staff can also be deployed to handle high-tech work, reducing costs and raising efficiency. Intelligent production will also diversify our business. In addition to expanding from B2B to B2C retail business, high production capacity will also help the brand enter the huge and potential Greater Bay Area (GBA) market with a population of more than 86 million, making Hong Kong’s food manufacturing industry shine on the global stage.”

By applying HKPCs one-stop integrated technical support, Leun Tai Hong will be able to optimise its production process through the adoption of  sensors, Internet of Things and machine vision. Furthermore, the production process will be monitored with real-time data to ensure product safety and traceability, while increasing productivity and stability.

“The food industry is one of the top four sectors boosting the largest value growth among local manufacturing. We determined to lead the food industry gradually move towards advanced manufacturing so as to strengthen the ‘Made in Hong Kong’ brand and let it shine in the international market,” said Edmond Lai, chief digital officer, HKPC.

He added: “With the advanced manufacturing technologies of i4.0, HKPC helps the manufacturing industry to streamline the traditional production process. Through data-based real-time monitoring of product quality, operators can also flexibly deploy according to the data of each position, and establish predictive maintenance to avoid losses incurred by unexpected downtime, making enterprise management more handy.”

The post Top HK food manufacturers embrace industry 4.0 appeared first on FutureIoT.

Guided by Yum China's 4R (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Replace) principles, KFC in China has already integrated energy saving, emissions reduction, plastic reduction, and other environmentally friendly measures across its store nationwide.

Taking its ESG pledge a step further, the new Green Pioneer Stores deploy advanced low-carbon technologies in their construction and daily operations. Compared with the average greenhouse gas emissions of KFC stores in 2020, Green Pioneer Stores are expected to further reduce these emissions by approximately 15% per year.

"We are committed to driving meaningful change and pioneering in the restaurant industry towards net-zero emissions. Building Green Pioneer Stores is an important part of our journey," said Joey Wat, CEO of Yum China.

Yum China is the exclusive operator of KFC in China. The company also runs other international restaurant brands including Pizza Hut, Taco Bell along with its own brands such as Little Sheep, Huang Ji Huang, East Dawning and COFFii & JOY. Yum China has 12,163 restaurants in over 1,600 cities at the end of February 2022.

Wat added: "We will continue to explore the use of innovative technologies in restaurant construction and operations to promote sustainable development as well as contribute to the low carbon economy."

The new KFC Green Pioneer Stores have the following features:

• Renewable Energy / Solar Power: At KFC's Green Pioneer Store in Hangzhou, solar panels are installed on the roof of the store, generating about 10,000 kWh of solar power every year, reducing carbon emissions from electricity consumption. An advanced Power Storage System is integrated to further improve energy efficiency.
• IoT Based Intelligent Energy Management: An Internet of Things (IoT) based intelligent restaurant energy management system improves the energy efficiency of Green Pioneer Stores, utilizing technologies such as IoT, big data and artificial intelligence (AI) to effectively reduce energy consumption by about 10% per year.
• Natural Lighting: Green Pioneer Stores are equipped with a Tubular Daylighting System to fully use natural lighting. This allows customers to enjoy natural light while reducing electricity consumption.
• Solar Energy Powered Outdoor Umbrellas: Solar energy powered outdoor umbrellas are provided for outdoor seating. Using integrated solar panels, the umbrellas generate electricity for night-time lighting.
• New Environmentally Friendly Materials: Recycled materials, such as ceramic floor tiles manufactured in the process of energy recycling, low-carbon bamboo materials, and leather alternative made from recycled KFC coffee grounds, are applied in the construction and furniture of Green Pioneer Stores. All these recycling initiatives help reduce GHG emissions in the construction and operation of the stores.

Since 2017, 100% of newly-built KFC restaurants in China comply with Yum China's Green Building Standards, fully considering environmental factors such as environmentally friendly materials, energy saving facilities, indoor air quality and thermal comfort control systems. Energy efficient and low-carbon operations for restaurants have been placed on top of the agenda to  reduce GHG emissions.

Yum China has been continuously upgrading equipment and facilities with advanced technologies such as the value-added technology application (VTA) system and IoT to promote the digitisation, automation and intelligence at its stores. To reduce GHG emissions in its logistics and warehousing, Yum China developed the Transportation Management System (TMS) to optimise its national distribution network and route planning, vehicle loading rates and delivery mileage. In addition, Yum China is finding ways to support and cooperate with its supply chain partners to measure, reduce and report on their GHG emissions.

The post KFC opens green stores in Beijing and Hangzhou appeared first on FutureIoT.

Passengers can hail rides and pay for the service through the PonyPilot+ App. Operating from 8:30 am  to 10:30pm, fares will be based on the standard taxi pricing in Guangzhou. Initially, Pony will have a safety driver at the wheel of its robotaxis, but the company expects to remove the driver over the short to intermediate time frame.

“Being China's first autonomous vehicle company to receive a taxi license is a testament to our technological strength and ability to operate robotaxi services. We will expand the scale of our services, provide quality travel experiences to the public in Guangzhou, create an industry benchmark for robotaxi services and continue to lead the commercialisation of robotaxis and robotrucks,” said James Peng, co-founder and CEO of Pony.ai.

The taxi license, issued by the Guangzhou  government, marks the formal implementation of autonomous driving (AD) mobility services  similar to traditional taxis and ride-hailing services.

While WeRide,  one of Pony’s rivals  in China, has been running a partnered service with Guangzhou’s government-backed taxi group Baiyun since 2019,  this is said to be the first time China has rolled out a taxi license dedicated to an autonomous ride-hail fleet, without the need to partner up with a traditional taxi operator.

Commercialising robotaxi services

Guangzhou is the second Tier-1 city in China to grant a taxi license to the robotaxi startup, nearly five months after it receives its first taxi license in Beijing last November.

To qualify for the license, Pony had to pass stringent safety and other multifaceted vehicle qualification tests set forth by national inspection institutions, such as having at least 24 months of AD testing in China and/or other countries, at least 1 million kilometres of testing mileage, at least 200,000 kilometres of AD testing within Guangzhou’s designated test area, and no involvement in any active liability traffic accidents.

“The inclusion of autonomous vehicles in the unified and standardized management of taxis proves that both government policy and the public are increasingly accepting robotaxis as a form of everyday transportation, recognising the ride experience and technical stability of our robotaxi,” said Tiancheng Lou, co-founder and CTO of Pony.ai.

The company plans to expand its commercial robotaxi footprint to the other two Tier-1 cities in China next year and to more cities by the start of Pony’s mass commercialisation planned for 2024/2025. Pony.ai currently has autonomous vehicle testing and operations in all four of China’s Tier-1 cities and in California.

Since launching its mobile app in  December 2018, Pony  has continuously improved and upgraded all aspects of the consumer experience of robotaxi services.

As of mid-April 2022, Pony’s robotaxi service has completed more than 700,000 orders, with nearly 80% repeat users and 99% of the passengers giving positive comments after completing their trips - and a service satisfaction rating reaching 4.9 on a 5-point scale.

The post Pony.ai to operate robotaxis in Guangzhou appeared first on FutureIoT.

In a deal estimated to value at around €25 million, UnaBiz acquired Sigfox SA, the primary technology company, and Sigfox France SAS, its network operator subsidiary in France.

UnaBiz, which was Sigfox operator for Singapore and Taiwan, bested nine companies that came forward with bids during the receivership proceedings. Over the next few weeks, the administrators, Sigfox management and the employee representatives will work alongside UnaBiz to ensure a smooth transition of ownership to Sigfox’s existing commercial activities.

“I want to thank the entire Sigfox community for supporting us, and the French government for authorising our investment. While the transition of ownership marks a new beginning for Sigfox, UnaBiz will definitely guarantee the French sovereignty of Sigfox,” said Henri Bong, co-founder and co-CEO, UnaBiz.

Business continuity a top priority

The new management has pledged to put business continuity on top of its agenda. Sigfox is leading provider of IoT communication services and the pioneer of the 0G network in 75 countries worldwide and is in a unique position to champion massive IoT adoption.

Upon handover, UnaBiz will safeguard 110 existing employees on a total of 174 and make financial and operational assessments to protect the firm’s assets, books, and most importantly, mission-critical network and backend systems, to address customers concerns.

“On top of securing the sales pipeline for Sigfox in the next 12 months as global markets emerge from the pandemic, UnaBiz and Sigfox will strive towards the convergence of LPWAN. The new Sigfox will reinvent itself and collaborate with other IoT communication technologies to seize new market opportunities,” said Bong.

To establish a more durable and collaborative global ecosystem, new strategies and governance will be put in place to facilitate engagements with Sigfox’ existing partners, customers, and Sigfox operators to align stakeholders’ interests and support the company’s long-term development in its new chapter.

Arnaud Tayac, director of Sigfox, said: “The continuity of Sigfox’s services is therefore not only ensured, but will be accompanied by new ambitions. UnaBiz already being at the heart of the Sigfox ecosystem through its activities as a Sigfox operator in Singapore and Taiwan and as an IoT solutions provider, the transition should be quick and simple.”

The post UnaBiz appointed new owner of Sigfox appeared first on FutureIoT.

While Southeast Asia remains an attractive region for manufacturers, the rapid growth and digitalisation in ASEAN countries are adding to the region's sustainability challenges. Despite the rising concerns on sustainable practices in ASEAN, sustainability ranks high as government agencies are committed to combating climate change.

Many approaches to environmental best practices have evolved over the years. The region continues to set energy and emission targets to demonstrate its efforts in protecting the environment. 

With the rise of the term "sustainable manufacturing", defined as the manufacturing of products using processes that minimise negative environmental impacts, manufacturers are introducing innovative solutions to their factory floors.

Sustainable manufacturing has spread far beyond the niche groups of organisations that positioned themselves as environmentally friendly and encompass many notable firms from a wide range of industries. This is a goal sought by manufacturers that aim for a competitive advantage in the market while considering the negative impacts their operations have on the environment. 

Few people connect collaborative robots (cobots) and sustainability, but Earth Day has given manufacturers a chance to pause and reflect on the difference that cobots can make. Celebrated on the 22nd of April each year, Earth Day is an annual event to demonstrate the support for environmental protection at an individual and societal level. This global day has initiated organisations to explore ways to improve their operations, allowing for increased productivity and efficiency while adopting sustainability. 

Reducing waste in manufacturing 

In the manufacturing process, turnaround time (time taken for a product to be produced) must be fast, and defects and raw material wastage minimised to meet production targets consistently. Manufacturing defects and discarded raw materials are not only costly to companies, but they also become waste which impacts the environment.

One of the most effective ways to reduce both cost and waste in this sector is to improve the quality of manufacturing processes. This is where collaborative robots, or cobots, can offer manufacturers a helping hand.

Cobots are built for repetitive actions. Cycle after cycle, the most efficient actions are repeated at the same pace, and with the same precision. This reduces wastage in industries such as welding, dispensing and material removal, and minimises the number of defective products.

Production output becomes more predictable as takt time (cycle time for a specific process) is stabilised, which allows for more efficient and optimised logistics arrangements. 

For example, Hyundae Induction Hardening Heat Treatment (HIHHT), a Korean company that provides induction hardening heat treatment process, deployed two UR10 cobots in their process. These cobots place an untreated component into the treatment machine and then remove the treated component to a conveyer belt. As a result, HIHHT’s product failure rate decreased from 0.03% to 0.01% and production efficiency increased by 31%.

While the impact on waste at each workshop or factory may seem insignificant in the context of the world’s challenges, on a global scale, the environmental impact could be considerable.

Reducing emissions from transportation 

Minimising distances in the supply chain reduces carbon emissions and are better for the environment. Coupled with the vulnerabilities of the global supply chain highlighted during the pandemic, more companies are re-examining their production processes, supply chain and business models to be more self-reliant, cost-efficient and environmentally friendly. There is an increasing interest in “reshoring”, as bringing production home is a way to achieve these goals. 

Robotic technology, such as cobots, has enabled manufacturers to move production processes closer to home and become more resilient in the process.

Space-saving

Manufacturing automation requires robots in the process, and traditionally this requires a significant amount of space allocated in the production facility for the robot and cages for safeguarding. Manufacturers today can deploy lightweight cobots that require no safeguarding for some operations. Cobots can work alongside humans safely and move between applications without costly facility redesigns. 

Reducing energy consumption 

Typically, cobots consume less energy compared to traditional robot counterparts. Manufacturers can minimise energy consumption in their cobot-powered applications by running the cobot at 70-80% of its maximum speed and payload. 

With the digitalisation of the manufacturing processes, remote access tools are introduced to further aid manufacturers in achieving sustainability. For instance, the UR+ ecosystem offers a wide range of remote monitoring and access solutions to track and monitor cobots without having to be onsite. These tools enable manufacturers to program cobots remotely, reducing travel costs and optimising energy consumption.

The demand for sustainable manufacturing will continue to rise as consumers begin making decisions based on companies’ efforts in demonstrating sustainability. Cobots’ ability to mitigate errors, reduce waste and increase efficiency can play a critical role in reducing carbon footprints.

Moving forward, the number of companies leveraging on the perfect human-machine collaboration to maintain the longevity of their businesses will rise.

The post Earth Day Reflection: Is ASEAN on track to sustainable manufacturing? appeared first on FutureIoT.

The study is hoped to pave the way for the company’s overseas expansion, banking on its cloud-based digital treatment of the medical condition that afflicts three of 100 children in the population.

“The study, which includes two sites in Shanghai, is led by Dr. Rui Liu from the Eye & ENT Hospital of Fudan University, one of the mainland's top hospitals, and will involve 20 patients in the CureSight treatment group and 20 in the patching control group,” said Ran Yam, CEO, NovaSight.

He added: “This marks another milestone for NovaSight and the beginning of our journey to secure the mainland National Medical Products Administration clearance in preparation for our future commercial activities in the mainland.”

Yam said the results of the Shanghai study would be released by the end of 2022.

A similar clinical trial was conducted last year in six medical centres in Israel, including Sheba Medical Center, which was ranked one of the top 10 best hospitals in the world.

The study, which randomly assigned 103 patients from the ages of 4 to 9, compared the improvement in visual outcomes achieved by CureSight digital treatment versus eye patching, considered the current gold-standard-of-care treatment.

In addition to achieving the non-inferiority primary endpoint, NovaSight noted that the topline analyses from the pivotal study demonstrated that best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) improvement at week 16 was larger in the treatment group compared to the patching control group.

The study also evaluated adherence and patient satisfaction, noting a mean adherence of 93% among clinical subjects in using the CureSight eye tracking system, with 93% of parents saying that they are likely or very likely to choose the CureSight digital treatment over patching.

“Eye patching is effective when patients are compliant, however, patching is often associated with insufficient adherence due to the discomfort it brings to the patient and the social stigma that many children experience when wearing a patch," Yam said.

Cloud-based digital device

The CureSight system consists of a digital screen device and a red-blue treatment glasses that trains brain to use both eyes simultaneously, while the user watches any streamed video content through red-blue treatment glasses.

Optical image sensors track and record momentary gaze position, sampling 90 times a second to create objective and comprehensive eye movement patterns.

Using sophisticated AI algorithms and eye-tracking technology, CureSight blurs the centre of vision of the image that is shown to the strong eye using real-time image processing.

This encourages the brain to complete the image fine details from the amblyopic eye image and trains the two eyes to work as a team. The device is designed to be used at home, and it shares treatment reports with caregivers via a cloud portal.

By tracking the patient eye movement, the AI algorithms receive the data which allows for unique insights into human behaviour and facilitates natural user interfaces.

All collected data is uploaded to the cloud and is processed in real-time for immediate analysis of the results to help in the assessment and decision of treatment. The eye care provider receives a comprehensive patient vision summary. Progress reports and real-time monitoring of the child's treatment are easily accessible.

Using digital technology to diagnose vision problems

Meanwhile, NovaSight plans to introduce its EyeSwiftPRO system, another device which helps diagnose conditions such as myopia by tracking patients’ eye movements as they watch animated videos on a screen.

“Traditional vision exams such as the eye chart, undergone by hundreds of millions of patients worldwide every year, are manual, subjective, time-consuming, limited and often inaccurate – especially for toddlers who can’t always understand the examiner’s instructions or communicate what they’re seeing,” said Yam. “Therefore, they are not sufficiently effective to detect many visual impairments, including amblyopia (lazy eye). As a result, these conditions often go undetected or are misdiagnosed.

Suitable for both children and adults,  EyeSwiftPRO is designed to replace the traditional eye chart and other manual exams and deliver any trained eye-care provider various fields of diagnostic tools by using dedicated protocols such as myopia, amblyopia, binocular vision and more.

The post Digital treatment for lazy eye on clinical trial in Shanghai appeared first on FutureIoT.

"Global manufacturing took a hit during the beginning of the pandemic. Businesses in Southeast Asia started facing supply chain disruptions, lower productivity, and rising manufacturing costs," said Marcelo Tarkieltaub, regional director for Southeast Asia, Rockwell Automation. "As we recover from the pandemic, businesses must address these key issues, improve their manufacturing capabilities, and supply chain processes, and build resilience to withstand unexpected disruptions. Digital technologies, smart manufacturing, human-machine interaction, and advanced analytics are helping manufacturers optimize processes and strengthen their position as 'factories of the world.'"

He added: "Southeast Asia is one of the fastest growing sub-regions for us. We are very pleased to partner with CAD-IT who is well-versed in the region. By combining our technologies and expertise with their strong regional network and execution competency, we can make smart manufacturing and digital transformation solutions more accessible to businesses in Southeast Asia.”

The partnership will see CAD-IT offer Rockwell Automation's smart manufacturing and automation solutions: newly acquired Plex Systems, a cloud-native smart manufacturing platform; and Fiix, a cloud-based, artificial intelligence (AI)-powered computerized maintenance management system. Both Plex and Fiix cater to the food and beverage, household and personal care, and automotive industries across Asia Pacific.

CAD-IT delivers end-to-end Industry 4.0 solutions encompassing additive manufacturing, augmented reality (AR), industrial internet of things (IIoT), engineering simulation and more. With manufacturing expertise gained through its production facilities in China, the company has delivered numerous multi-factory digital transformation projects in various verticals across Asia Pacific.

CAD-IT has a wide network in Southeast Asia, with presence in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, and Vietnam, serving more than 1,000 customers. Beyond the sub-region, it has offices in China, South Korea, and Australia to serve Asia Pacific customers.

Rising demand for automation and Industry 4.0 solutions

CAD-IT joins the growing PartnerNetwork of Rockwell Automation channel partners to support the increasing demand for industrial automation and Industry 4.0 solutions in Southeast Asia, with plans to expand the coverage across the rest of Asia Pacific in the near future.

The region's industrial automation and process control market is expected to be worth US$4.97 billion by 2025. This demand is driven by high technical awareness around the usage of robotics and the manufacturing sector's robust production capabilities.

Additionally, the demand for Industry 4.0 solutions is on the rise. According to Mordor Intelligence, Asia's Industry 4.0 market is expected to reach US$71.59 billion by 2026.

"Partnering with Rockwell Automation gives us the opportunity to expand and build our product and services suite of Industry 4.0 solutions. Besides enhanced manufacturing and digital transformation, businesses in the region will benefit from our local market presence with implementation, support, and maintenance from our on-ground team of experts across the region," said Terence Chan, CEO of CAD-IT.

Rockwell Automation has been in Asia Pacific for over 40 years and continues to invest in its vision of expanding human possibility and digital transformation for its customers across the region. With over 5,800 dedicated employees in the region and a robust ecosystem of partners collaborating towards delivering value for our customers, Rockwell Automation continues to transform the industry, unlocking potential and productivity through automated and connected innovation.

The post Rockwell Automation strengthens SEA partner network appeared first on FutureIoT.

The partnership between the two companies aims to streamline work processes, allowing efficient mobilisation of on-site manpower resources. It will also improve customer service experiences with more targeted and enhanced cleaning services

“We have always been committed to providing solutions such as Whiz, an AI-enabled vacuum cleaning robot to facility operators. With the use of disruptive technologies such as predictive data on maintenance monitoring, it will provide building owners with building intelligence that is needed to digitally transform this industry operating landscape,” said Kenichi Yoshida, chief business officer, SoftBank Robotics Group Corp

“Teaming up with UnaBiz, we are confident that this partnership will not just add value to our customers but eventually make a difference in the entire sector,” Yoshida added.

SoftBank Robotics believes that facilities management operators are faced with handling many different building management tools and different brands of robots. On the backend, there are several dashboards – most of which don’t have a central control system for easy management.

It’s alliance with UnaBiz is part of the company’s  overall roadmap to implement an IoT system onto a unified smart facility management platform – where IoT devices trigger alerts and automate AI-enabled autonomous vacuum cleaning robots like Whiz to tasks in addition to providing AI predictive data analytics.

Massive IoT provider has deployed UnaBiz has deployed last year one of the largest Integrated Facilities Management projects in Singapore, with over 3,000 sensors at Temasek Polytechnic. On top of smart facilities management, UnaBiz also focuses on smart cities applications like smart metering, asset management, and asset tracking. The scaleup has deployed more than 1.3 million sensors globally, of which, over 1 million were smart gas meter sensors for Nicigas, Japan’s major LPG company.

Henri Bong, co-CEO and co-founder of UnaBiz said : “Facility managers are embracing technology to increase the productivity of the workforce, improve customer satisfaction, and reduce carbon emissions. Both IoT and robotics have a lot of complementary purposes and the synergy of both can unlock new value for future disruptions and growth. We are confident that the right mix of SBRG robotics and our IoT devices could greatly benefit the whole industry.”

The post SoftBank Robotics, UnaBiz ink building management pact appeared first on FutureIoT.

In its latest report, IDC predicts that 75% of top 100 miners this year will operate remote and autonomous drill rigs throughout their operations, improving equipment efficiencies.

"In 2022, we expect to see a consolidation of learnings from rapid deployment of remote working technologies which lays down a good foundation to develop talent required for remote-operated and automated machinery. Miners have embraced DX to maintain production in astounding numbers and I expect this positive influence on the industry over the next five years,” says Ben Kirkwood, senior research manager, IDC Energy Insights Worldwide Mining.

These are the top strategic predictions that will shape how mining organisations will operate in a digital-first world within the next 12-36 months:

1. Increased Remote Equipment Adoption – Accelerated because of the pandemic, by 2022, 75% of the top 100 miners will operate remote and autonomous drill rigs throughout their operations, improving equipment efficiencies.
2. Resilient Connectivity – By 2022, 5% of global mining operations will be early adopters of 5G to utilise reliable, low-latent connectivity-reliant technologies, improving safety, sustainability, and operational performances.
3. Sustainably Controlled Operations – By 2023, 80% of mining organisations will use sustainability KPIs as part of their primary operational control parameters to help achieve their organisational environment, social, and governance targets.
4. Digitised Talent – By 2023, 25% of the top 100 mining organisations will utilise augmented reality to perform operational maintenance, reducing on-site labour requirements by 20%.
5. Increased OT Security – OT-specific security departments will be created by 4 of the top 5 mining organisations by 2023 as organisations struggle with secure IoT implementations.
6. Auditable Traceability – Enabling improved sustainability and operational tracking, by 2024, 10% of metals produced will use blockchain to track and monitor the commodities' value chain from origin to final product.
7. Enhanced Operations – By 2024, 50% of the top mining organisations will utilise cloud based operational planning and simulation tools, providing decision support, greater analytics, and improved optimisation capabilities.
8. Ecosystem-wide Partnerships – By 2025, 80% of organisations will utilise an equipment-as-a-service model in partnership with major vendors to provide support for critical operational equipment and systems.
9. Integrated Processes – By 2025, the top 5 mining organisations will deploy cloud-based platforms to deliver insights across their value chain, supporting self-service for workers and a single source of truth.
10. Satellite Supported Transformation – By 2026, as the cost of deploying satellites drops rapidly, one mining organisation will have its own satellites in orbit to support its digital mining transformation.

The post 75% of top miners will operate autonomous drill rigs in 2022 appeared first on FutureIoT.

With this in mind, local tech startup RefillBot has teamed up with Arrow Electronics’ IoT Open Lab to  develop a Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) solution aimed at improving access to clean water in Indian villages.

Using advanced sensing and IoT technologies that allow real-time 24/7 water quality monitoring, the new RMM platform has been successfully rolled out across 100 villages in India's Karnataka state in just four months.

RefillBot's RMM platform simplifies and enhances the operation and maintenance of water purification plants in India's underserved areas.

"Remote monitoring and management is a game changer for many industrial applications, especially water purification in remote village locations, where meeting essential daily needs is a constant challenge," said Savitri Patil, co-founder and CEO of RefillBot.

He added: “With the support of the Arrow and STPI IoT Open Lab and RefillBot's comprehensive understanding of IIOT, this new RMM offering has the potential to make a real and immediate difference to the lives of millions of people and create positive, long-term economic and health development outcomes for India's underserved as it rolls out."

RefillBot used the IoT Open Lab's equipment to test and verify its boards, and consulted and collaborated with Arrow on system design and the selection of cutting-edge components. Arrow engineers and technical experts provided insight and recommendations to help RefillBot bring the solution to life, including:

• Wireless module design: Developing a wireless module to communicate in real-time over mobile networks to help ensure access to cloud servers.
• Smart sensors and data analytics enabling 24x7 always-on operation: With modest wireless network connectivity requirements, ranging from basic 2G up to fast 4G LTE, the RMM uses sensors embedded in dispensing systems, water filters, and switches to capture and communicate critical operational, consumption and quality details.
• Boosting antenna signal at remote locations: Formulating an LTE external antenna strategy to ensure optimum coverage in low signal areas without the need for extensive field testing.
• Rapid prototyping: Arranging quick shipment of development kits and evaluation boards, which enabled RefillBot to experiment with data handling, I/O system design, and build a scalable solution during the pandemic.
• Fast go-to-market: Providing the IoT Open Lab environment and equipment required for extensive RMM evaluation, GSM antenna tuning, and EMF (Electromagnetic Field) and signal testing.

Founded in 2019 by Savitri Patil, RefillBot develops and delivers plug-and-play, IIoT-grade monitoring and management for municipal utilities, as well as industrial applications like HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning), asset monitoring and availability tracking in remote locations.

Bhartendu Mishra, Arrow Electronics' general manager of sales for India, said they are constantly seeking ways to make it easier for innovators to create, make and manage the technology of the future.

“Collaborations, like the Arrow and STPI IoT Open Lab in India, are part of our long-term commitment to giving local start-ups and innovators access to world-class engineering expertise and resources. We are proud to be playing a role in RefillBot's innovation journey and supporting its goal of developing a solution to address one of the most pressing community challenges – helping ensure reliable access to clean water,” he said.

Equipped with advanced engineering equipment and testing modules, the IoT Open Lab has assisted the start-up community from the region in their idea-to-prototype-to-product innovation journey. Arrow's experienced vertical segment experts and engineers with expertise in areas of embedded computing, sensing, connectivity and system integration are on site to provide professional advice to these innovators and makers.

The post IoT helps bring clean water to Indian villages appeared first on FutureIoT.

The move aims to hasten Mondelēz’s sustainability initiatives by reducing the snacks giant’s  environmental impact through renewable energy.

The two solar panel installation projects with the NEFIN Group, follows on the heels of a successful deployment at Mondelēz’s manufacturing plant in Lad Krabang, Thailand.

"We have transparent sustainability goals to achieve by 2025, and we are committed to scaling up our sustainability efforts to deliver meaningful change. This partnership with NEFIN is progress towards our goal of creating a sustainable future for snacking and will help us reduce our end-to-end absolute CO² emissions,” said Narmeen Khan, managing director for Malaysia and Singapore, Mondelēz International.

The facility Shah Alam produces the Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate while the one in Prai produces biscuits and salty snacks such as Twisties, Jacob’s and Chipsmore.

With operations in more than 150 countries, Mondelēz’s two   is paving the way to a new more sustainable future, by creating snacks the right way for both people and the planet to love. In Malaysia, it owns two manufacturing plants – a chocolate plant in Shah Alam manufacturing Cadbury Dairy Milk, and biscuits and salty snacks plant in Prai manufacturing Twisties, Jacob's, and Chipsmore.

The  installation of 1,266 solar panels at the Shah Alam plant and 1,754 solar panels in Prai aims to offset 29,000 tons of CO² over the next 25 years, equivalent to planting around 146,800 trees. Accumulatively, the plants are estimated to produce 1.8 million kWh of energy in the first year alone, with the company potentially saving up to RM11.18 million over the 25 years period.

In addition to their energy-saving initiatives, Mondelēz International Malaysia is  a founding member of the Malaysia Recycling Alliance (MAREA), which collectively pledged to recycle a minimum of 25% of their members' packaging volumes by 2025.

Moreover, through its manufacturing plants in Malaysia, Mondelēz has reduced its water consumption by 18.6% and waste by 11.3% in 2021 over the previous year.

For multinational companies with a presence across the Asia Pacific region, NEFIN's broad network of local partners across the region is positioned to simplify the process of delivering solutions across borders.

This has contributed to their success in delivering over 3,000MW of utility-scale, commercial, and industrial rooftop solar systems regionally in its combined portfolio, according to NEFIN Group.

"We are working closely with Mondelēz to achieve sustainability in their manufacturing plants, and talks for other similar projects in Southeast Asia are under way," said Chong Bor Hung, head of business development and managing director - Malaysia, NEFIN Group.

The post Mondelēz to install solar panels in Malaysia plants appeared first on FutureIoT.

"We are  committed to the Singapore Green Plan 2030 by introducing more electric vehicles to our fleet," the company said in a press statement.

As of March 2022, GetGo has introduced the Hyundai IONIQ Electric, Hyundai Kona Electric and the MG ZS Electric to its car fleet.

As Singapore pushes towards transforming into a greener, more sustainable city in seven years’ time, the company said its car rental solutions are timely.

With more experienced car rental services available in the market and car rental becoming easier and more convenient, residents in Singapore may be ready to forgo the comforts of owning a car.

"We see carsharing and hourly car rental services becoming an alternative option for Singaporeans that's more economical and sustainable,” the company said. “Solutions like these move the city a step in the right direction, in line with its efforts to reduce overall carbon emissions. Fewer cars on the road also means lesser demand for areas designated for parking. This frees up land for conversion to more green spaces for recreational use.”

A year of accelerated growth

Singapore's car ownership costs are one of the highest in the world and makes residents think twice about forking out the money for one. But for those not ready to give up the convenience of driving and do not wish to put up with rising fuel costs and increasing COE prices – they can consider GetGo's enhanced car sharing service.

Established in February 2021, GetGo’s hourly car rental service makes renting a car hassle-free, affordable and enjoyable – attracting more than 20,000 users in a span of two months.

It stands out from the other car-sharing services in Singapore with Its unique Pay-As-You-Go policy, requiring n deposits and no membership fees are. Also, users can enjoy the flexibility and accessibility of car renting. This makes it easy for first-time users and those who use the service on a frequent basis.

GetGo now has a network of over 1,000 locations across the city, implement policies that safeguard drivers, and offer a total of 18 different car models.

New app features enhance overall user experience

Marking its first year anniversary, GetGo has upgraded its mobile app to include a promo code wallet, which lets users  to receive, redeem and review promo codes with ease.

With the new  app feature, users are able to view all the available promo codes that can be applied for an upcoming car rental booking, view the validity period and full T&Cs of a promo code, and save these promo codes for future redemption.

Additionally, with the wallet, they are now able to apply a code to their booking in just one click, as opposed to manually keying it in during the rental process.

With new easy-to-use features, GetGo's app is now more shareable and accessible. Customers can look forward to a seamless experience with the app online and with renting out a car.

The post GetGo car-sharing service to add more EVs to its fleet appeared first on FutureIoT.

Shaping the future of manufacturing, WEF “Lighthouse” facilities implement Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies, such as the Internet of Things, big data, artificial intelligence and robots, into manufacturing and supply chain operations to deliver a wide range of benefits, from increased production efficiency to enhanced environmental sustainability.

“As the world grapples with many challenges, it is remarkable to see how Lighthouses are yielding sustainability benefits while achieving business goals, which we call eco-efficiency,” said Francisco Betti, head of Shaping the Future of Advanced Manufacturing and Value Chains, World Economic Forum. “We need them to continue illuminating the way forward for the global manufacturing community by shaping a responsible future of manufacturing that works for people, society and the environment.”

Futuristic manufacturing

Over the past five years, LG has transformed its factory complex in Changwon, South Korea into LG Smart Park, a futuristic hub of home appliance manufacturing.

The key elements of the transformation are a digitally-enabled end-to-end three-dimensional logistics system, an advanced analytics system based on edge computing technology and machine learning that predicts defects, and state-of-the-art facilities that can mass-produce multiple models to respond flexibly to customer requirements.

The newly implemented “digital twin” technology enables the operation system to analyse production processes in virtual reality. It can predict if any issues will occur within the next 10 minutes and provide exact parts and materials for the assembling of each appliance with an accurate, up-to-the-minute status of the facility’s logistics operations.

Sensors utilising deep learning technology are installed throughout the factory to monitor each phase of production in real-time, helping factory workers to pre-emptively identify and resolve any possible issues. As a result, the cost of defective product returns dropped by 70%  from 2020 to 2021 while overall quality competitiveness and production efficiency were both significantly strengthened.

Floors one, two and three at LG Smart Park employ an overhead conveyor system that quickly transports boxes containing refrigerator parts to the required production lines. Attached to each line is an intelligent warehouse that monitors inventory in real-time, enabling automated materials management, including the request of additional parts and supplies.

On the ground, automated guided vehicles (AGVs) leveraging stable 5G network connectivity transport parts and materials to wherever they are needed on site. Through its three-dimensional logistics automation system, the company can minimize the amount of warehouse space needed by 30% compared to conventional logistics systems, and shorten the time required for hourly materials transportation by 25%.

LG Smart Park has also adopted the use of robots featuring an AI engine and camera to make the home appliance production process faster and safer. The robots undertake dangerous and complicated tasks, such as welding and the lifting of heavy parts and equipment.

Taking it global

LG plans to apply the innovative, smart production technologies pioneered at LG Smart Park to a total of 26 LG production facilities in 13 countries, accelerating the digital transformation of its global manufacturing network by 2025.

“LG Smart Park illustrates our strong commitment to adopting the revolutionary technologies as the leader of the global premium home appliance market,” said Lyu Jae-cheol, president of the LG Electronics Home Appliance & Air Solution Company. “We are presenting a blueprint for the future of manufacturing, one that delivers better outcomes across environmental, economic and employment aspects.”

The post LG Smart Park gets WEF’s Lighthouse Factory nod appeared first on FutureIoT.

“We see fast-growing needs for global public cloud services in the China market, both from multi-national companies coming to China, Chinese companies seeking for global presence, and Chinese companies to digitally transform their businesses and processes on clouds—that’s the strong momentum driving us to keep expanding and upgrading our cloud services for almost eight years here in China,” said Dr. Hou Yang, Microsoft corporate vice president chairman and CEO of Microsoft Greater China Region (GCR).

The new addition is the fifth Azure region in the Mainland, doubling the capacity of Microsoft’s intelligent cloud portfolio in the country.

The company launched its first two regions in China in March 2014. Microsoft Azure operated by 21Vianet was the first international public cloud service that became generally available in the China market. Following Azure, Microsoft Office 365, Microsoft Dynamics 365, and Microsoft Power Platform operated by 21Vianet successively launched in China in 2014, 2019, and 2020 respectively.

Cloud for innovation

Along with the new Azure region launch, a set of new cloud innovation capabilities will be available in China in 2022, which includes:

• Azure availability zone, which claims to give customers 99.99% SLA when VMs are running in two or more availability zones and provides the most comprehensive resiliency strategy to protecting against large scale events with failover to separate regions.
• Azure Digital Twins, an IoT capability that enables customers to create ”digital twins” of physical objects in the cloud; Azure Arc, which helps customers manage data and applications across hybrid and multi-cloud environments.
• Flexible Server deployment option for Azure Database for MySQL, to provide maximum control for an organization’s databases, high availability options to help ensure zero data loss, built-in capabilities for cost optimization, and increased productivity enabled by the Azure ecosystem.
• Azure Purview is a unified data governance solution that helps you manage and govern your on-premises, multi-cloud, and software-as-a-service (SaaS) data.

"As Microsoft’s global partner, we’ve been working closely to develop and deploy digital solutions for industries,” said Jin Jia, managing director and lead of technology in Accenture Greater China. “With the new Azure region and services coming to China, we will further enable end-to-end transformations, by delivering a broad range of Azure services across infrastructure, platform, data, IoT, and cognitive computing."

Cloud for sustainability

Cloud computing provides massive efficiency that reduces the collective carbon footprint required to support the world’s computing needs. As Microsoft cloud scales its computing power, the company pursuing breakthrough technologies to incorporate sustainability into datacentre design and operations. Microsoft cloud’s latest key advanced development initiatives include:

• Reducing water use in datacentres: a new approach to datacentre temperature management will further reduce the amount of water used in its evaporative cooled datacentres.
• Research in liquid immersion cooling, toward waterless cooling options: Microsoft claims to achieve the first cloud provider that is running two-phase liquid immersion cooling in a production environment. The efficiencies in both power and cooling that liquid cooling unlock new potential for datacentre rack design.
• Datacentre design to support local ecosystems: Microsoft benchmarked the ecosystem performance in terms of water, air, carbon, climate, biodiversity, and more in twelve datacentre regions, to renew and revitalize the surrounding area so that we can restore and create a pathway to provide regenerative value for the local community and environment.
• Cutting carbon footprint in datacentre design and construction: Embodied carbon counts for emissions associated with materials and construction processes throughout the whole lifecycle of a building or infrastructure. We use a tool called the Embodied Carbon in Construction Calculator (EC3) to identify building materials and reduce concrete and steel embodied carbon by 30–60 percent. Some of all the initiatives will have been adapted in the new Azure region in China step by step.

In addition to the investments in cloud infrastructure, Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability is now available for preview globally, which allows organizations to record, report, and reduce their carbon emissions on a path to net-zero more effectively. It provides a common foundation to ensure carbon emissions are measured in an accurate, consistent, and reliable manner globally. Now, both multi-national companies and Chinese companies could use this offering on global Azure to measure their sustainability efforts.

At 2021 China International Import Expo (CIIE), SGS China announced the first global and China dual-standard carbon management platform, S-Carbon, based on Microsoft Azure. Dr. Sandy Hao, Managing Director of SGS China, said, “SGS’s expertise in carbon emission, combined with Microsoft’s world-leading cloud platform, will enable more Chinese companies to accelerate the implementation of their sustainable development strategies.”

“We are pleased to be a Net Zero Technology Partner to Microsoft, jointly enabling customers with a full suite of end-to-end carbon neutrality solutions to support their green transition and ambitions,” said Michael Ding, global executive director, Envision Group.

“We are partnering with Microsoft to conceive, build and manage smart and sustainable buildings in China and worldwide,” said Michael Zhu, vice president and general manager - building solutions, China, Johnson Controls. “Our OpenBlue digital platform, closely connected with Microsoft’s cloud platform and workplace technologies, represents an unbeatable opportunity to help our customers make modern spaces safer, more agile, and more sustainable.”

“DELTA’s Energy Management System (EMS) is built on Microsoft Azure platform completed with IoT, machine learning, and data insights from Power BI,” said Kevin Tan, general ,manager of Delta GreenTech (China). ”By cooperating with Microsoft, we empower customers effectively monitor, manage, and save energy consumption to achieve a green factory.”

The post Microsoft Azure added new region in North China appeared first on FutureIoT.

The DSD conducts regular maintenance of these facilities such as river channels and underground pipes. However, maintenance works for drainage facilities are easily affected by weather conditions and tide levels. In addition, limited working spaces in most of the underground drainage facilities constrained the use of large machinery, posing safety risks for workers.

The  new river desilting river, introduced in December last year, to remove accumulated silt at a section of the Tuen Mun River under the Tuen Mun MTR Station.

“The robot collects silt by suction, which is similar to the operation of a vacuum cleaner. The operator remotely controls the robot on a temporary working platform via a console,” said a DSD spokesperson. “The silt is located by the closed-circuit television and sonar device installed on the robot and dewatered at the temporary dewatering tank before it is transferred off site."

Compared with the traditional desilting method which requires operators to drive excavators and trucks into the river, the river desilting robot can operate under water regardless of tides and weather conditions. Hence, desilting works can be conducted throughout the year, making desilting operations more flexible and efficient.

The larger suction rate of the river desilting robot enables the collection of more fluid silt as compared with the desilting robot used at box culverts, making it more suitable for the desilting works at rivers.

Meanwhile, the remotely-operated pipeline inspection robot is built to assist in the investigation of the structural integrity and service condition of underground drains, which helps with the maintenance and upgrading of drainage systems in a timely manner.

The pipeline inspection robot is a vessel equipped with a 360-degree high-definition camera and a sonar device. The robot can operate within a drain remotely without flow diversion. The data collected can help with the formulation of desilting and maintenance works. The high-definition camera inspects the condition of the pipeline structure above water level, and the sonar device detects the profile of the siltation.

The pipeline inspection robot completed an inspection with CCTV and sonar of a 1.8-kilometres sewage tunnel in Tseung Kwan O on January 15 this year, breaking the record in Hong Kong.

"The river desilting robot and the pipeline inspection robot can greatly reduce the safety risk of workers by remote operation. The DSD expects the applications of such technology can be further extended to the maintenance works of other rivers and pipelines upon the gathering of data and experience from these trials,” the DSD spokesperson said.

In recent years,  heavy rainfall due to extreme weather has become more frequent. Over the last five years, the DSD received an average of 90 flooding reports annually.

Analysis of the flooding reports revealed that the majority of flooding cases were caused by the blockage of drainage intakes by debris such as leaves, sand, gravel or waste, which affected the discharging of surface runoff. Also, part of the flooding cases were the result of tidal caused backwater in low-lying areas. Majority of flooding cases subsided immediately after emergency clearance works conducted by the DSD.

The post Hong Kong pilots two robots for drainage maintenance appeared first on FutureIoT.

The research firm defines a smart building as a building that uses connectivity to enable economical use of resources, while creating a safe and comfortable environment for the occupants.

According to its new report entitled “Smart Buildings: Key Opportunities, Competitor Leaderboard & Market Forecasts 2022-2026”, significant efficiency gains can be made by enabling buildings to monitor and automate common functions.  Automating these functions also improve the environment for workers and residents.

The report recommends that vendors focus on building analytics platforms for the most value to be driven from deployments.

Commercial premises drive smart building spend

The research found that non-residential smart buildings will account for 90% of smart building spend globally in 2026; at a similar level to 2022.

This dominance is due to the larger economies of scale in commercial premises driving this spend, as well as the commercial focus of most smart building technologies.

“Smart building platform vendors will understandably focus on non-residential use cases, as these provide a stronger return on investment, but they should not neglect the importance of residential deployments, as environmental concerns intensify,” said research co-author Dawnetta Grant.

Smart building sensors shipment to accelerate quickly

The research found that the global shipments of sensors used in smart buildings will exceed 1 billion annually in 2026 from 360 million in 2022. This represents a growth of 204%.

Sensors, when combined with intelligent management platforms, will allow smart buildings to adapt to conditions; matching elements such as lighting, heating and ventilation to live requirements.

The report recommends that smart building vendors partner with AI vendors to maximise the benefits of automation, such as reduced energy costs and improved working environments.

The post Smart building deployments to reach 115-M globally in 2026 appeared first on FutureIoT.

Assessing human safety is only one of the comprehensive tests being done Nissan’s new vehicle.

The automaker subjects every one of its vehicles to rigorous crash tests that include frontal-, side- and rear-impact collisions, as well as those that simulate accidents when pedestrians are on the road.

At the Nissan Technical Center in Atsugi, Japan, a team of engineers tirelessly work to ensure that Nissan vehicles, including the upcoming Ariya electric crossover SUV, have a high safety level in the event of a collision.

“More than 100 data points are evaluated on the Ariya,” said Gen Tanabe of the Passive Safety Evaluation Group. “Because the upcoming Ariya will be sold in many markets, we will conduct more than 400 tests from the early stages of development to market launch.”

According to Tanabe, it only takes 1/1000th of a second for a Nissan crash test vehicle to fulfil its role.

Being a pure EV meant that many of the procedures employed for the Nissan LEAF were adopted for the Ariya, resulting in stricter safety measures than those required by regulations. For example, the safety engineers needed to ensure th3 high-voltage EV battery pack retained its structural integrity after a crash without the electrodes leaking.

Serving as the basis for developing safer automobiles, Nissan’s Safety Shield concept includes active and passive safety measures to support the safety of vehicle occupants in a variety of scenarios. The overall goal is to prevent collisions where possible and, in case of unavoidable collisions, mitigate damage and injuries.

The post Nissan deploys sensors during crash tests of upcoming EV appeared first on FutureIoT.

These pilots signal the startup’s international expansion, which comes on the heels of the recent US$1.25 million seed funding secured from investors led by Silicon Solution Partners (SSP) and SEEDS Capital, the investment arm of Enterprise Singapore.

"We hope to conduct more pilot trials with companies and governments, to showcase how remoteEye results in benefits including cost savings, improved safety/hygiene levels, improved performance and reduced reliance on manpower,” said Deepak Pitta, founder and CEO, SpaceAge Labs

In the next six to 12 months, Pitta said the company  plans to double its current headcount of 12 employees as it opens international offices in Australia and the US.

Pushing for more pilots in Singapore

At the same time, SpaceAge Labs will continue piloting monitoring projects in its home country – specifically around water consumption patterns and leak detection in facilities,  air quality in outdoor spaces, and water quality in swimming pools to name a few.

Last year, Public Utilities Board (PUB) of Singapore collaborated with the local startup to trial an IoT-based monitoring solution aimed at preventing sewer overflows in the city state’s wastewater network.

Some 40 IoT devices have been installed in sewer manholes across Little India, Geylang and Serangoon Gardens, which were prone to overflows. These areas have a high restaurant concentration and tend to have faster build-up of fat, oil and grease in the sewer network which will eventually lead to a blockage if not cleared.

The battery-operated wireless IoT devices are installed inside the harsh, confined conditions within a sewer manhole, providing PUB with real-time alerts when waste water levels within the sewer system rises too high. When alerts are triggered PUB officers would quickly check for blockages downstream, with SpaceAge Labs informing them the areas that are likely to be clogged.

“Over a twelve-month period from January 2021 to December 2021, we successfully alerted PUB to 10 events within the wastewater network. PUB promptly cleared these blockages before any overflow events happened,” said SpaceAge Labs in a statement.

This has significantly improved efficiency of operations, and in preventing pollution to ensure safety and regulatory compliance.

Today, More than 750+ rEye devices deployed so far on site to monitor 1000+ remote assets for different applications.​

IoT devices trialled in greenery management

The company also conducted a pilot with another government agency in Singapore, deploying IoT devices to enable the National Parks Board (NParks) to track the completion and quality of the grass-cutting operations.

NParks manages some 400 parks, 3,347 hectares of nature reserves, the Singapore Botanic Gardens, Pulau Ubin and the Sisters' Islands Marine Park  With over 13,000 hectare of green spaces under its jurisdiction, it is a challenge to physically monitor each location regularly.

The grass height sensor is currently deployed as part of the pilot of park and greenery management using digital tools in the Bishan-Ang Mo Kio precinct. This project supports NParks’ landscape sector transformation plan that aims to elevate and grow the local landscape sector through digitalisation, mechanisation and “professionalisation”.

The IoT devices are worn by grass-cutters using push lawn mowers or handheld grass trimmers. They can also be installed on equipment such as sit-on mowers. The sensors transmit data on the height of grass (post-cut) as well as high precision GPS location data to the cloud. The data are available via web dashboards and a mobile app, where contractors and NParks staff can easily verify the completion and quality of the grass-cutting operation.

“It is important that we take steps to make operations more precise and think of ways to overcome physical and manpower limitations through the adoption of technology. Leveraging on SpaceAge Lab's smart technology, we have been able to conduct grass height inspections more effectively with less manpower.," said Ryan Lee, group director, National Parks Board.

Meanwhile, the IoT-based monitoring system also helps to expedite payment to the contractors as NParks can quickly confirm completed of their work. These operational data and insights also enable the contractors to improve their efficiencies, through better deployment of resources, resulting in lower labour and fuel costs.

Digitising distributed assets maintenance

Established in 2016, SpaceAge Labs started as a consulting company, designing end-to-end IoT solutions for its customers, but pivoted in 2017 to become a product company. In the same year, it became an NUS Enterprise incubatee, based within NUS Enterprise's deep-tech incubation facility in Singapore Science Park I.

The company has found its niche in transforming operations and maintenance of remote and distributed assets by collecting asset data using low power, long-range wireless IoT devices, together with advanced AI software to generate valuable insights from this data.

SpaceAge Labs’ solution aims to deliver the following benefits: asset's uptime (due to data-driven predictive maintenance); reduces cost (less manpower required) and provides peace of mind (operators gain real-time asset visibility).

Its flagship product called remoteEye is sensor-agnostic IoT/AI platform that enables connected operations and maintenance, consisting of three parts:

• rEye IoT Nodes – These are low-powered, wireless devices that read and transmit data from industrial sensors located at the assets.
• Wireless networks – The sensor data is transmitted via low power wide area wireless networks to the cloud. The networks are at low cost (from S$1 per month per device), able to transmit over long distances (several kilometres) and consume low power (up to five years of battery life).
• rEye Data Cloud – Enterprise-grade IoT/AI software that stores, analyses, and visualises this sensor data. This software is secure, easy to use and able to scale easily from managing one asset to thousands of assets. Proprietary AI software and geospatial data analysis provides useful insights and predictions that can be accessed via web or mobile.

SpaceAge Labs is initially targeting three sectors: Water/Wastewater; Urban Greenery/Landscaping; and Facilities management.

Currently, the company has IoT deployments with more than 30 customers, including two key Smart Nation pilot projects in Singapore with PUB and NParks.

The post SpaceAge Labs eyes more IoT trials with AU and US expansion appeared first on FutureIoT.

“Deploying solar power at pace means making the most of projects once they are up and running. It’s not just about the cost of capital and your project execution. Lightsource bp has an exceptional reputation on both fronts and once all that hard work is done, we don’t want to waste a single photon,” said Nick Boyle, group CEO of Lightsource bp.

“The partnership with Envision Digital gives us an anatomical level of insight on our assets to optimise them remotely and drive improvements,” he added.

Lightsource bp is targeting the development of 25GW of solar power projects globally by 2025 delivering renewable power at scale, and with the urgency the climate crisis requires. Through the partnership and the advanced analytics from Envision Digital’s AIoT platform, Lightsource bp will be able to gain data-driven insights to enable automation, efficiency, value and ultimately, substantial volumes of additional low-carbon power.

“We see a lot of synergies with Lightsource bp and our teams are rapidly deploying and scaling technology to power the energy transition together,” said Michael Ding, global executive director of Envision.

Envision Digital’s proprietary AIoT operating system called EnOS, currently supports more than 360GW of clean energy assets globally. As the partnership develops, and as global governments and corporations quicken net zero discussions, both companies will explore additional opportunities to drive value across Lightsource bp’s expanding portfolio of solar power projects globally.

Meanwhile, Lightsource bp is a 50:50 joint venture with global energy major bp. By leveraging this partnership with Envision Digital, as well as more than a decade of solar experience, the company expects to be able to deliver greater value at scale and enact a real change on the global energy landscape.

The 247MW Vendimia project in Spain started generating low-cost power in June 2021. The site created 600 jobs during construction and provides a snapshot of the benefits solar can provide to the economy and the climate.

The post Envision Digital and Lightsource bp signed a multi-year solar power pact appeared first on FutureIoT.

Located at the north coast of the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia, Brunei has a hot and rainy climate that brings frequent and intense flooding episodes, affecting critical infrastructures.  Indeed, the banks of a nearby canal at the Brunei International Airport can suddenly overflow after 20 minutes of steady rains, preventing operations in part of the airport.

Before the new LoRaWAN-based sensors were deployed, river level monitoring in the country had been primarily based on telemetry technology. And in cases where this technology was not available,  the government  mobilised significant manpower for manual monitoring.

A real-time flood detection system  is required  to prepare the population and limit the damage. The monitoring system of the water networks is also required to address water leaks and water quality. It also ensures reservoir levels can meet demand, and the state of water pumps is kept at the optimum.

Flash flood detection.

For its new smart water management system, the Sultanate’s Ministry of Development tapped IoT provider Anian to develop for The Department of Drainage and Sewerage a solution that included sensors, IoT communications gateways for connectivity, as well as data management and application dashboards. To date, some 11 communication gateways have been installed with the aim to install 200 units.

Anian collaborated Actility and IoThink Solutions, which provided the bricks of the solution and all the necessary technical support. Specifically, the solution is deployed using Actility’s ThingPark platform with the application provided by IoThink Solutions.

According to Actility, the main challenge Anian faced was the difficulty of finding an integrated end-to-end solution that includes all the necessary elements, including hardware that must adapt to complex environments and potentially destructive weather conditions.

Anian tested various entry-level sensors with a promise of IP67 resistance that proved insufficient. Even the gateways required protection against storms. Ultimately, Anian deployed ultrasonic sensors  to monitor the water level in flood-prone rivers, a solution combined with rainfall volume monitoring as well as rain gauges/tipping buckets to measure the velocity of water currents.

The solution is hosted in the Brunei government’s data centre with network operations and IoT applications being ran as managed services. To date, some 11 communication gateways have been installed with the aim to install 200 units.

The Sultanate plans to use its nationwide IoT LoRaWAN network to advance other digital initiatives such as smart city, smart building and smart energy management.

The post Brunei deployed LoRaWAN-based water management system appeared first on FutureIoT.

This digital initiative aims to use wearable technology to stay connected with patients post surgeries like total knee replacement, angioplasty, cardiac bypass surgery, and other high-risk surgeries.

“This is an incredible opportunity to deliver at scale and further advance the application of easy-to-use smartphone and wearable technology, and novel data analytics and AI, and population health management tools,” said Daryl Arnold, founder and CEO, ConnectedLife. “We will deploy new features and capabilities based on patient and clinician feedback every two to four weeks, and maintain the strictest accountability for data acquisition, privacy and protection.”

The advanced digital solution, built on Google Cloud, can remotely capture heart rate, oxygen saturation level, and activity metrics (sleep quality, steps taken, and pain score) both pre-and and post-operatively. The technology optimises patient care by triggering reminders to take medications or participate in physiotherapy and triggering warnings if there are significant deviations outside normal physiological parameters.

“Early data indicates patients on the programme have seen improved adherence to medication and exercise schedule with associated improvements in physical activity. Within this programme we are able to give patients in post-operative care a better view of their activity, sleep and other health metrics that can help empower them in managing their day-to-day wellbeing,” said Dilip Jose, managing director and CEO, Manipal Hospitals.

Jose added that their new digital initiative will help the hospital chain  to determine if the post-operative data collected from the ConnectedLife with Fitbit dashboard match with functional outcomes and improved patient satisfaction post-surgery.

“This data will allow us to understand and develop new methods in cost-effectiveness, compliance, comfort, and ease of use, all while giving us accurate data on the vitals," said Jose.

He added: “The intuitive, user-centric platform will help every person, from at-risk patients to chronic sufferers. We will be able to better understand their condition and then collaborate with care teams to achieve better health outcomes. Through its patient-centric platform, we will be able to replace lengthy manual processes with 24/7 insight-based care and monitoring, and thus enabling recovery outside of hospitals.”

Meanwhile, Dr. Sudarshan Ballal, chairman, Manipal Hospitals, this latest healthtech project brings a new chapter to the Indian healthcare ecosystem.

“Today, we have an excellent opportunity to develop a cohesive program for the continuity of care after hospitalization. Through this partnership, we are expecting post-surgery care to become seamless, as wearable technology will help us monitor certain critical parameters of patients who have undergone total knee replacement surgery, angioplasty, cardiac bypass surgery, and other high-risk surgeries," said Ballal.

The post Manipal Hospitals to use wearables to monitor post-surgery recoveries appeared first on FutureIoT.

According to a recent Frost & Sullivan analysis, both AI and IoT are expected to play a bigger role as the industry recovers from COVID-19. From a revenue perspective, the total oil & gas automation market is expected to reach US$24.63 billion by 2025, up from US$17.17 billion in 2020 and growing at a compound annual growth rate of 7.5%.

"Industry 4.0 has been transforming the oil and gas value chain by enhancing connectivity, simplifying operation maintenance, and prioritising safety. The digitalisation of drilling processes in the upstream sector is a high-growth area and can significantly boost production," said Agustina DeSarriera, research analyst, for energy & environment at Frost & Sullivan.

She added: "Operational technologies (OT), such as supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems, distributed control systems (DCSs), and programmable logic controllers (PLCs), are already in place. However, to optimise automation, companies will soon have to include artificial intelligence, Internet of Things and robotics technologies in their operations."

As the industry feels the pressure to become more sustainable and less labour-intensive, there will be greater growth opportunities for technology providers of:

• AI: Vendors need to highlight the use of AI to automate drilling operations and their ability to eventually decrease the number of wells needed for oil & gas operations. AI can also help avoid incidents and improve environmental performance by predicting leakages and identifying them in real-time.
• Robotics: Vendors can help clients overcome their technology shyness by assigning robots to departments where they can demonstrate maximum value.
• IoT: By showcasing the technology's adaptability and ability to complement other technologies such as AI and OT, IoT providers will find it easier to get buy-in from clients. They can also partner with technology companies that provide OT solutions such as sensors and transmitters and help them transform into smarter tools.

DeSarriera said, "Environmental regulations and agreements are compelling the industry to become more sustainable, and participants are recognising that one of the easiest ways to achieve higher process efficiencies is automation. With the pandemic causing a resource shortage, it is imperative that oil & gas companies tap automation to reduce human exposure and perform rote tasks that were previously performed by humans."

The post AI and IoT drive digitisation of global Oil and Gas sector appeared first on FutureIoT.

The joint software development will be based on the current BMW Automated Driving software stack first launched with the BMW iX in 2021, which will be further extended in the next generation through this cooperation.

In November 2021 the companies announced that BMW’s next generation Automated Driving System will be ported on the Snapdragon Ride Vision system-on-chip (SoC) including Arriver Computer Vision and the Snapdragon Ride Platform’s compute SoC controllers managed by Snapdragon® Car-to-Cloud Services platform.

 “This is an important milestone for the BMW Group with regards to our next generation Automated Driving platform. To enable sophisticated and safe functionalities in a vehicle you need state-of-the art software in all components of the digital value chain. This forms the backbone for intelligent driver assistance systems,” said Nicolai Martin, senior vice president - Driving Experience, BMW Group.

The three-way partnership will focus on creating a scalable platform for Automated Driving based on a common reference architecture, sensor-set specifications, and safety requirements with joint development, toolchain, and a data centre for storage, reprocessing, and simulation.

The cooperation will see more than 1,400 specialists working together in locations worldwide, including Germany, USA, Sweden, China, Romania, and the BMW AD Test Center in Czech Republic.

According to Nakul  Duggal, senior vice president and general manager for automotive at Qualcomm,  building on already commercialised stack components from BMW Group and Arriver “will position us to extend BMW Automated Drive software to the Snapdragon Ride platform, and expand the accessibility of safer self-driving technologies to other automakers and Tier-1s in an open, flexible and scalable deployment framework”. 

He added: “We believe Snapdragon Ride will create significant economies of scale and time-to-market benefits across the automotive industry with the launch of the automated driving software globally in BMW’s series production vehicles, which have always been an exemplar of the highest quality, performance and safety standards in modern day automobiles.” 

Giuseppe Rosso, president and managing director of Arriver, is pleased that Arriver’s Vision Perception and NCAP features will be combined with the BMW Automated Driving software stack.

“This cooperation is a key milestone for Arriver and a proof point of the rich competence of our teams through years of experience in ADAS & safety,” he said, adding the co-developed product will be offered to the company’s customers worldwide.

The post BMW, Qualcomm and Arriver to co-develop next-gen AD software appeared first on FutureIoT.

PARC, a Xerox company, has launched a new venture called Novity to commercialise predictive maintenance (PdM) technology that reduces unplanned downtime in industrial manufacturing operations.

“Over the course of many conversations with customers in the industrial manufacturing industry, we identified critical problems where current solutions fall short: they require too much data, they aren’t accurate enough, and they don’t give users enough advance notice to act before it’s too late,” said Novity general manager Markus Larsson. “Our goal with this solution is to solve these problems, ultimately enabling zero unplanned downtime.”

The Novity solution is an Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) technology that uses equipment sensors and proprietary algorithms to enable industrial manufacturers to see the future health of their production assets. The Novity TruPrognostics engine relies on a combination of machine learning and physics-based models of equipment. This allows Novity to predict equipment failures with 90% or better accuracy and lead times of months, not weeks or days.

Pennsy Supply, the leading manufacturer of aggregate, sand, asphalt, and concrete throughout the North and Central Regions of Pennsylvania, has installed a pilot deployment of the Novity technology and is already seeing benefits.

“Novity’s solution has proven itself effective very quickly. Novity has delivered an excellent PdM solution for Pennsy,” said Larry Kessler,  director of operation support, Pennsy Supply. “Within the first month, the system picked up a potential issue with a mill, allowing us to take preventative action, avoiding costly unplanned downtime.”

In addition to increasing the accuracy and prediction horizons of the solution, Novity’s TruPrognostics engine also reduces the need for large amounts of data to deliver results. By leveraging a library of pre-built physics-based models, predictive maintenance is accessible to customers who lack the historical data required by other solutions.

“As more manufacturers embrace new technologies that help their plants and factories run more efficiently, one of the things we’ve heard over and over from customers is they need a solution they can rely on to make actionable decisions,” said PARC president Naresh Shanker. “With Novity, we’re leveraging PARC’s expertise in AI, sensors and manufacturing to provide an exceptionally accurate predictive maintenance solution. This means less downtime, more productivity and profitability for our customers.”

Novity is the latest offering in PARC’s broad entry into the industrial IoT market. In 2021, Xerox announced the launch of Eloque, a joint venture with the Victorian Government (AU) to commercialize new technology that will remotely monitor the structural health of bridges and other critical infrastructure. Last year, Xerox also announced that PARC is working with the United States’ Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to develop a technology that can enable large-scale monitoring of seas under the Ocean of Things program.

The post Novity to reduce unplanned downtime in industrial MFG appeared first on FutureIoT.

Already, Cornerstone has designed and developed 13 EV chargers at the Admiralty Car Park, including 11 medium-charging and 2 fast-charging parking spaces, adopting Slate (7kW) and FlexiDC (30kW) chargers, which can be used by different brands of EVs.

“EV owners can easily enjoy quality charging services with the Group's mobile application and participate in charging schemes,” the company said in a statement.  “We look forward to working closely with Wilson Parking in a continuous manner to further improve the layout of charging points and promote the popularity of EVs so as to contribute to the reduction of carbon footprint.”

The volume of EVs in Hong Kong has been growing in recent years. From January to October 2021, the city’s Transport Department registered more than 6,000 new EVs, a 30%  increase over the same period in 2020.

To cater to growing demand, Cornerstone has installed chargers in shopping malls under various property management groups and car parks of government venues, possessing an extensive network of EV charging points, and currently has established over 1,300 charging points in Hong Kong.

The company will gradually move into commercial and residential buildings and shopping mall car parks in different regions.

The post HK’s Wilson Parking embarks on a large-scale EV charging project appeared first on FutureIoT.

The new facility at the port is touted to be the world’s first fully-automated cold chain port warehouse, providing low-temperature warehousing and other services in an area of over 30,000 square meters.

As the gateway to Beijing, Tianjin port is one of the busiest hub for China’s massive import and export businesses and it is the first stop in China’s cold chain logistics network.

“Geek+ will continue to work together with Engero to implement its innovative technology to extend this new industry benchmark to further cold chain logistics providers,” said Geek+ in a press statement.  “Our highly flexible autonomous mobile robots and advanced algorithm strategies are the twin engines driving the improvement and modernization of cold chain warehouse.”

Engero specialises in smart logistics and integrated solutions that help companies to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and improve management through automation and smart technologies. Engero conducts business throughout China.

Manual operations is not suited to cold chain logistics

According to Geek+, the extreme conditions in cold chain logistics is not well-suited for manual operations. Geek+’s AMR (autonomous mobile robots), on the other hand, can stably operate at low temperatures 24 hours a day, seven days a week, reducing the need for people to endure extreme, unpleasant working conditions.

“A further benefit of robotic automation of cold chain logistics is a reduction in risks to workers’ health and goods safety. Upon arrival in the port, goods requiring cold chain storage are carried by Geek+’s MP1000R moving robots to the depot area for customs inspection and disinfection, before entering the storage area for further processing and distribution,” the company said.

Within the warehouse, Geek+ robots interact and collaborate with different intelligent devices to handle the whole logistics process. Indeed, the robots autonomously handle all aspects of warehouse operations from pallet scheduling to packing. Furthermore, Geek+ MP1000Rs distribute goods automatically to the conveyor line for inspection.

AI algorithms optimise the robots’ routes with intelligent queuing strategies to avoid traffic jams in narrow passages and drive efficient cluster scheduling, according to Geek+.

“360° laser obstacle avoidance and omni-directional sensing allows the MP1000Rs to navigate in narrow aisles, maximising storage space density and further ensuring worker safety. The robot’s self-rotating jack allows for great flexibility with minimal space occupied when moving pallets, meaning that warehouses can be upgraded with a minimum of fuss,” the company said.

Artificial intelligence is seamlessly integrated into the warehouse control system and oversees the operations of the whole fleet.

The warehouse operates under the "cloud warehouse" management mode and all process data can be traced. This enables centralised inventory management, online billing, and real-time information flows, which greatly improve efficiency and makes it easy to track the whole process.

The post Tianjin port fully automates new cold chain logistics warehouse appeared first on FutureIoT.

Set to open in April, the new 9-metre-high facility in South China will have a higher storage density with a daily throughput expected to reach 128,000 units. It will be using HAI Robotics' ACR (autonomous case-handling robotics) system to help handle growing fulfilment workload.

"We see HAI ROBOTICS as an important long-term partner, as we have shared ambition in smart warehousing," Chen Jiancong, general manager of logistics of Anta Group.

HAI Robotics’ ACR system  was first deployed in Anta's warehouse in southwestern China's Chengdu, Sichuan Province, in April 2021, with 25 customised HAIPICK robots doing case picking and retrieving from shelves to continuously feed goods-to-person picking stations.

The storage density of the 5.7-meter-high warehouse increased significantly to offer up to 27,600 locations, handling up to 80,000 units in outbound orders per day. The warehouse, which was previously stretched tight to handle its tens of thousands of SKUs at low picking accuracy, is now feeding the needs from 1,200 brick-and-mortal stores with a weekly outbound volume of 60,000 pieces.

The tremendous efficiency improvement prompted Anta into a second warehouse automation project with HAI ROBOTICS only three months later, with a larger robot fleet deployed at its 3,500-square-meter warehouse in Jinjiang.

With the redesign of 11-layer shelves inside the 5.7-meter-high warehouse, the project provides around 20,000 storage locations. The warehouse reached a daily outbound capacity of 200,000 pieces with the use of HAIPORT-powered Workstation, an automatic loading and unloading machine.

"Together we will keep innovating to address more challenging scenarios for the footwear and apparel warehousing sector and bring more added value to our customers," said Richie Chen, founder and CEO, HAI Robotics.

Named a global AI unicorn by Hurun Research Institute last year, the company – which specialises in robotics- and AI-based warehouse solutions – currently has a number of ongoing projects with top footwear and apparel brands.

Founded in 2016 with headquarters in Shenzhen, China, HAI ROBOTICS has set up six subsidiaries in Hong Kong SAR, Japan, Singapore, the United States, United Kingdom and the Netherlands, serving customers from more than 30 countries and regions.

With more than 1,300 team members, the company has acquired over 600 global patents for core intellectual properties involving positioning, robot control, and warehouse management.

The post Anta and HAI Robotics embark on third robotics project appeared first on FutureIoT.

"To develop Smart Paddock’s GPS livestock ear tag, we researched and evaluated all the wireless communications protocols available on the market,” said Darren Wolchyn, CEO and founder of Smart Paddock. “To meet our customer needs of a low cost ear tag that could be deployed in the thousands over large farm properties, LoRaWAN came out on top of all other technologies for its long distance capabilities."

Smart Paddock has been deploying GPS tracking for cattle since 2017 with the use of Bluebell smart ear tags designed to survive the harshest environmental and operational conditions. Livestock farmers can track their livestock in real-time through their mobile phone or computer, get text alerts for stray/stolen or downed animals, review pasture usage maps, monitor the activity level of key animals and see how far the animals are walking each day to access food or water.

Bluebell is being positioned as an ideal network solution as the tag can support and encourage farmers to add other operational Internet of Things (IoT) sensors to their farms to monitor water level, set up electric fences that utilise an existing LoRaWAN network, among others.

To integrate LoRaWAN into their solution, the company has recently collaborated with Semtech Corporation.

“Smart Paddock’s utilisation of LoRaWAN is a proven example of where IoT technology is actively shaping the future of farming to be smarter and more efficient,” said Marc Pégulu, vice president of IoT product marketing and strategy for Semtech’s Wireless and Sensing Products Group. “The unparalleled benefits of LoRa devices that both minimise expenses and reduce environmental impact of any IoT solution is promising for the field of smart agriculture.”

Touted to be the smallest and lightest in the industry,  Smart Paddock has deployed over 1,200  tracking devices over the last three years across farm properties in Australia and New Zealand and more than 10,000 deployments are planned in the next year.

The post Smart Paddock integrates LoRaWan to its smart ear tags appeared first on FutureIoT.

“They are specifically designed for use in electricity and water networks, and will be deployed to detect thermal fingerprints in high voltage transmission lines, substations, buildings and solar power stations,” said Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, managing director and CEO of DEWA.

Al Tayer revealed this last Tuesday a month after the Dubai utility firm launched its first low-orbit satellite called DEWA-SAT 1 to complement the company’s terrestrial IoT communication network

DEWA-SAT 1 is part of  the company’s Space-D programme to improve operations, maintenance, and planning of electricity and water networks by using nanosatellites to support industry 4.0 applications around IoT, AI, blockchain and remote-sensing technologies.

In collaboration with NanoAvionics, DEWA launched the 3U nanosatellite on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex in Florida, USA. The satellite now maintains a stable orbit at 525 kilometres, travelling some 7.5 kilometres per second and takes about 90 minutes to go around the Earth.

Smart water leak detection device brings AED2.74-M cost savings

Meanwhile, DEWA has been reaping the benefits of its smart initiatives.

For one,  its smart ball  leak detection device, which was inserted into the company’s  water network, has saved the company 68.45 million gallons and AED 2.74 million since its implementation in April 2021.

As part of its ongoing efforts to reduce water losses, DEWA has recently deployed a smart ball leak detection to discover invisible water leakages in water transmission pipelines that are otherwise hard to see or reach.

“We adopt latest technologies in generating, transmitting, and distributing electricity and water, applying the best global practices in all its projects to raise production and operational efficiency,” said Al Tayer. "It achieved concrete savings in developing the water network to promote its effectiveness and reliability, raise the water flow to meet the comprehensive development needs and the growing demand.”

The smart ball system consists of a small diameter sphere that travels freely, driven by the water flow. Sounds generated by a leak, gas pocket or anomalies have unique characteristics.  The system captures the sounds of these from inside the pipeline with the software then able to detect the location of the leak

"In Dubai we have a comprehensive vision to ensure the sustainability of resources as part of the integrated strategy of managing water resources, with particular focus on enhancing water resources, conserving consumption and using the latest technologies as well as innovative solutions,” said Al Tayer.

The post Dubai utility firm eyes another IoT nanosatellite launch appeared first on FutureIoT.

The technology research firm made this projection as it anticipates digital giants such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google, Alibaba or Tencent, further expand their footprint in vehicle technology this year.

“These tech companies are bringing the car closer to their respective ecosystems, which, in turn, opens new vehicle-connected services,” said Pedro Pacheco, senior research director at Gartner.

He added: “As developing technology and software on their own is difficult, car companies can either partner with digital giants to succeed in turning software into a main moneymaker or build vast in-house resources to achieve it mostly on their own.”

Software is king

Pacheco noted that for the last 100 years, automakers have focused on the mechanical side of car development and have mostly left software to other parties.

“As digital technology becomes the differentiator in the car, software will become the main profitability growth driver for automakers. Ultimately, the goal for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) will be to turn into tech or software companies,” said Pacheco.

Indeed, Gartner sees that partnerships between tech companies and automakers will increase in the years ahead.

In 2022, this collaboration between these two sectors will gain momentum particularly in the areas of open data  and open source, as several tech companies last year create open-source vehicle architecture operation systems and open electric vehicle (EV) platform

In addition, automotive companies will increasingly look at data in a similar way to that of the tech world.

“Their aim is not to sell data, but to build or integrate ecosystems that will allow them to access a broader diversity of data, with the purpose of developing more compelling features or digital services,” said Pacheco.

Automakers to ramp up OTA as main digital revenue channel

Last year saw major changes in the automotive over-the-air (OTA) software market when several car manufacturers began to offer software updates.

As most automakers have updated the hardware on the vehicles to enable software updates, they will now begin to shift to a revenue model that is based on services rather than the sale of the asset.

Gartner analysts predict that by 2023, half of the top 10 automakers will offer unlocks and capability upgrades through software updates that can be purchased after the sale of the vehicle.

Hurdles persist for commercialisation of autonomous vehicles

Despite sensing technologies improving, perception algorithms becoming more sophisticated and regulations and standards progressing, Gartner expects developers of autonomous vehicles continue to struggle to scale autonomous operations to new cities or geographies.

Automakers have begun to announce Level 3 autonomous driving cars and are working on the deployment of Level 4 self-driving trucks and commercial robotaxis. However, proving the safety and effectiveness of autonomous technology is taking a long time and extensive simulation and real-world testing are making commercialization slow and expensive.

In addition, issues such as liability in the event of an accident, associated legal and societal considerations, such as how human driven vehicles will interact with an AI-driven vehicle, are adding to the challenge.

“The very high R&D costs involved for robotaxis or Level 4 trucks hinder speed of adoption in terms of coverage, but also in delivering ROI. This is ironic given that one of the main advantages associated with autonomous drive is reducing operational costs of transportation,” said Jonathan Davenport, research director at Gartner.

Nevertheless, Gartner analysts predict that by 2030, there will be four times as many Level 4 autonomous robotaxis operating globally than there are taxis in 2022.

For more details on automotive technology trends for 2022, click here.

The post Gartner: 70% of vehicles will use Android OS by 2028 appeared first on FutureIoT.

Traditionally, at production lines at manufacturing sites where mass production is undertaken, field personnel mainly use sensor data from equipment to monitor usage thresholds. However, there is a need for experience and know-how in order to understand the fine changes in individual data, and passing these skills along is a challenge.

The beverage maker’s own in-house IT team at Suntory System Technology is currently working with  NEC Corporation to implement the latter’s  NEC Advanced Analytics-Invariant Analysis system, which is set to go live in late May.

Using AI to sift anomalies in sensor data

The new AI-based anomaly detection system from NEC Corporation will automatically discover the relationships between approximately 1,500 sensors at the new can filling line at Suntory’s Natural Water Plant, which will start operating in April.

The system will trigger alarms when changes occur, thereby detecting equipment anomalies at an early stage and helping to resolve them faster.

"Through the provision of this system, NEC is supporting the stable operation of facilities, preserving expert know-how and experience, recognizing errors that are difficult to detect, and contributing to the DX of production lines," said Masayuki Ikeda, general manager, AI Analytics Division, NEC Corporation.

The system uses Invariant Analysis Technology, part of NEC's leading-edge AI technology group, NEC the WISE. By collecting and analysing a large amount of time-series data from a large number of sensors installed in facilities through control systems such as PLCs (Programmable Logic Controller), modelling invariant relationships between sensors (invariants) and comparing changes between predicted data with actual data, users can detect "irregular" occurrences at an early stage.

This system takes advantage of the features of White Box AI and provides information necessary for taking action at maintenance sites, such as where and why functions are performing abnormally. When modelling, users can easily visualise conditions by simply entering the sensor information they want to see with the time that those sensors were operating.

Moreover, NEC will install microphones near filling machines in order to analyse when sounds are different from usual, which could possibly indicate an abnormality with the system.

In the future, it is expected that these advancements could help to reduce the number of people required for maintenance work, while helping to detect abnormalities more quickly.

The post Suntory Beer sets up AI-based anomaly detection system appeared first on FutureIoT.