Semtech, UnaBiz to integrate Sigfox 0G on LoRa Platforms; Thermo Fisher is deploying CYBRA’s Edgefinity IoT RFID Solution for inventory tracking; Know Labs gains improved accuracy of machine learning model for non-invasive glucose monitor; LoRaWAN deployment grows across the Asia Pacific Region.
Semtech, UnaBiz to integrate Sigfox 0G on LoRa Platforms
Aug 04, 2023Semiconductor, IoT systems, and cloud connectivity service provider Semtech is collaborating with IoT service provider and integrator UnaBiz to enable Sigfox 0G technology on Semtech’s LoRa Edge and the next generation of LoRa Connect platforms. The companies intend to develop solutions that combine LoRaWAN and Sigfox 0G technologies to enable more IoT use cases, including asset supply chain and logistics management.
Semtech’s LoRa Edge and the LoRa Connect transceivers are intended to enable multi-band connectivity, ultra-low power Wi-Fi and GNSS scanning capabilities in a single chip, making them cost-effective platforms for IoT and geolocation applications in the global unlicensed LPWAN market, the companies report. This will also ensure wide coverage, leveraging LoRa Cloud geolocation on the Sigfox global 0G network, which has a presence in about 70 countries. The companies expect that simplifying IoT deployments and enhancing global availability based on the combined network’s coverage will enhance the options and opportunities for developers to create world-class solutions.
Unabiz became a contributor member of the LoRA Alliance this past April and it opened the Sigfox device laboratory to the public to bridge Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) communication technologies. The open device library facilitated the validation of the Sigfox 0G technology with the LoRa Edge platform.
Thermo Fisher is deploying CYBRA’s Edgefinity IoT RFID Solution for inventory tracking
CYBRA has announced that Thermo Fisher is among companies recently deploying its Edgefinity IoT RFID solution for inventory tracking and alerting applications. Thermo Fisher’s complexity of its warehouse space, low temperature storage ( -20 Celsius), and presence of liquid and metals posed challenges for the company when it came to RFID tracking. To meet these challenges, CYBRA recommended Ultra-Wideband (UWB) tags and antennas for precision tracking, along with special batteries to withstand the frigid temperatures. The tags are reusable – the Thermo Fisher team can commission and decommission them as necessary - and can be reapplied when another pallet comes in.
Once the system was installed, the Thermo Fisher team could track the movement and status of inventory in real time with a web browser on a laptop, tablet, or smartphone. When inventory is moved to a different department, the data on the tag records identify who handled the inventory and when. With all location data stored within the Edgefinity platform, users can run a history playback report, which visually shows a map of items moving during a selected timeframe.
Edgefinity IoT also met Thermo Fisher’s requirement for responding to quarantine disruptions by enabling the system to detect an unapproved event and sound a siren, trigger a flashing light, or to text or email staff, It also authorized users to configure these capabilities by defining rules built into Edgefinity. No programming was necessary.
New study finds Know Labs improved accuracy of machine learning model for non-invasive glucose monitor
Healthcare technology company Know Labs has released results from a new, internal study showing improvement in accuracy of its bio-RFID sensor technology titled “Novel data preprocessing techniques in an expanded dataset improve machine learning model accuracy for a non-invasive blood glucose monitor.” The study demonstrates that continued algorithm refinement and more high-quality data has resulted in an overall Mean Absolute Relative Difference (MARD) of 11.3 percent.
As with all Know Labs’ previous research, the study was designed to assess the ability of the Bio-RFID sensor to non-invasively and continuously quantify blood glucose. It uses Dexcom G6 continuous glucose monitor (CGM) as a reference device. The study was based on data collection completed in May to follow Know Labs’ data preprocessing techniques and Light Gradient-Boosting Machine (lightGBM) model to predict blood glucose values using 3,311 observations – or reference device values – from over 330 hours of data collected from 13 healthy participants.
In June 2023, Know Labs announced its first generation prototype that it has been using to conduct clinical research in a lab environment for the last two years. Testing with the Gen 1 device is underway, including optimizing the sensor configuration for data collection, including new environmental and human factors. (See story Bio-RFID Measures Blood Glucose Without Pricking Fingers (rfidjournal.com.)
The company reports that its focus is on collecting more high-quality, high-resolution data across a diverse participant population representing different glycemic ranges and testing scenarios. To support this work, the company is continuing to test with its Gen 1 device in parallel with ongoing clinical research with its stationary lab system.
LoRaWAN deployment grows across the Asia Pacific Region
Standards organization LoRa Alliance has announced the growth of LoRaWAN networks across the Asia Pacific (APAC) region with the addition of millions of sensors during the first six months of 2023. These sensors are part of large projects in China, Japan, Korea, and India. The continued evolution of LoRaWAN networks is also increasing accessibility, further accelerating growth, according to the alliance. LoRa Alliance is a global association of companies backing the open LoRaWAN standard. To bolster the high level of regional activity, the LoRa Alliance says it will bring its next LoRaWAN Live event to Tokyo, Japan on October 11 and 12, 2023.
Recent LoRaWAN projects and large-scale deployments announced in the APAC region include a deployment by Tata Communications covering more than 250,000 end nodes to monitor health, safety, and productivity across metals and mining, oil and gas, automotive, and pharma segments. It also is deploying smart lighting automation solutions for more than 300,000 end nodes across India and the Middle East to manage streetlight infrastructure across large geographies.
Another example of Asia Pacific rollouts is a large water metering deployment of 250,000 Semtech enabled 250,000 sensors in Korea. In addition, Milesight has completed multiple IoT deployments across China, with approximately 50,000 LoRaWAN devices in use for lighting control, device control, energy and environment management, as well as space management.
