In another Laird Connectivity piece I recently penned, the wireless solutions provider’s trusted partners and vendors (including EdgeIQ, AWS, KORE and Semtech) work with Laird to develop complete, quick-to-market answers to connectivity challenges.
What’s another value-adding Laird partner and developer? Iridium Communications, Inc.
As of data from Dec. 31, 2021, Iridium (News - Alert) has more than 530 employees and various contractors worldwide, along with more than 1.7 million global subscribers. Managing several corporate and technical operations centers from McLean, Virginia to Chandler and Tempe, Arizona and elsewhere, Iridium provides access to voice and data services through a constellation of satellites, keeping people – and the “things” of our Internet of Things (IoT) – connected on land, at sea, or in the air.
So, what’s the scoop from Laird and Iridium?
Iridium officially announced its latest endeavor: By integrating Laird’s lower-powered Sentrius BT610 I/O and BT510+ IoT sensors with Iridium’s self-charging Edge Solar (which harvests the sun’s energy, enabling long-term asset tracking, monitoring and management solutions), the two companies add a wealth of new capabilities and use cases. Applicable use cases range from telematics to security and safety and from supervisory control and data acquisition (or SCADA) to sensor-based applications for industrial and maritime applications. (i.e. catering to multiple markets, suffice it to say)
The long story short? Laird and Iridium will provide easy-to-use wireless sensor and gateway combinations to make more possible in IoT.
Connecting Laird’s Sentrius sensors to Iridium Edge Solar over Bluetooth LE, the name of the game becomes “long-lasting remote operations, anywhere in the world.”
Take, for another example, this Laird-Iridium one-two combo when applied to the area of agribusiness, aka agriculture conducted on industrial and commercial principles with advanced technologies employed therein. Agribusiness use cases include (but aren’t limited to) equipment monitoring and damage protection, measurements of tank or silo levels, soil temperature and moisture testing, etc.
Mobile app users can also perform over-the-air firmware updates and pair the Iridium Edge Solar with laird’s Bluetooth sensors just by scanning QR codes. Subsequently, data is transmitted securely and can even be sent back to customers for streamlined experiences, as well.
Per Bill Steinike, CEO of Laird Connectivity:
“We are delighted to partner with Iridium to deliver innovative solutions in wireless connectivity. This partnership helps bring our products and offerings to a larger and more diverse group of customers while accelerating their time to market and improving overall ROI.”
And per Tim Last (News - Alert), Vice President and General Manager of IoT at Iridium:
“By leveraging each other's strengths, Iridium and Laird Connectivity are bringing best-in-class, cutting edge, cost-effective, and scalable expertise to the market. We are excited to offer customers this innovative solution that unlocks the full potential of IoT applications.”