ICYMI: 13 IoT Updates for Today's Friday the 13th

By Alex Passett September 13, 2024

Howdy and TGIF, readers! And also, happy Friday the 13th to those observing it. (I do admittedly say that in a lightly tongue-and-cheek sort of way, but let’s remember that there are folks who are far from superstitious about days like today; if anything, they revel in it. (Let all the black cats walk in front of broken mirrors that are under umbrellas indoors, I say.)

Anywho, let’s jump right into this because (as I noted last Friday and on most other Fridays), we know your time is immensely valuable and we thank you for spending some of it here.

Below, you’ll find 13 IoT updates (I tried keeping them mostly short and sweet) to *help you ward off undue spooky superstitions . (*Editor’s note: IoT Evolution World is not run by certified Mythbusters and cannot guarantee the evasion from or nullification of such superstitions.)

The IoT connectivity and interoperability solutions specialists at Morse Micro officially set a brand-new Wi-Fi HaLow range record; 16 kilometers (around 10 miles) for video call connectivity through 900MHz Wi-Fi HaLow, specifically. This bests the previous Wi-Fi HaLow record of approximately 3 miles that — you guessed it — Morse Micro also set. Read more about the company’s latest connectivity in Joshua Tree National Park here.
OrionStar Robotics, an innovator when it comes to service robot applications and self-developed/full-chain AI technologies, launched CarryBot. This line of logistics and transport robots (check them out here) were purpose-built for micro-fulfillment centers, and they feature versatile carrying attachments (as well as LiDAR, depth cameras, collision protection sensors, emergency stop buttons, and visual simultaneous localization and mapping, or “VSLAM” technology).
Quarterhill, another innovator in IoT (here, when it comes to various intelligent transportation system solutions), announced the awarding of a contract for the supply of its iTHEIA AI Video Automatic Traffic Recorders (“ATR”) for the Minnesota Department of Transportation, known also as Minnesota DOT (or “MnDOT”). With iTHEA — its advanced AI that operates on a powerful edge computing platform and is capable of accurately counting and classifying all common vehicle types, e.g. passenger cars, trucks, buses, RVs, and motorcycles) — MnDOT can implement smarter protocols when it comes to improving road safety and enhancing traffic management. This is already being seen as a real “game-changer,” in the words of MnDOT’s John Hackett.
In this vein of smart tech endeavors (and given how digitalization continues to be a significant part of large-scale sustainability efforts that such cities are making), dedicated IoT operator Netmore Group was selected by British water supply and treatment utility company Yorkshire Water to exchange existing meters in the region with 1.3 million smart water meters. And though this is subject to final legal determinations (due in December of this year), there is great ambition here that can lead to measurable environmental impacts. The full Smart City Sentinel scoop on this is here.
On IoT Evolution World (and over on 5G Evolution World, as well), we’ve featured news covering IoT company Wiliot and its “everything IoT” approaches. “From computer chips to chocolate chips,” one Wiliot representative wrote, “from pharmacy drugs to pleated denim, and from vaccines to veggies, there’s virtually no product out there that can’t benefit from our item-level awareness.” Wiliot’s ambient IoT Visibility Platform – comprising the Wiliot IoT Pixels and Wiliot Cloud – has achieved breakthroughs in humidity sensing and analyzation for individually warehoused products, and the company’s expertise in 5G Advanced when it comes to progress across wireless markets. Well earlier this season, Wiliot debuted its Wilibot, a GenAI-powered chatbot that enables natural-language conversations with any aforementioned ambient IoT-connected product. The whole scoop is very much worth a peek here.
Cassia Networks launched its official M2000 Compact Cellular Bluetooth Gateway this week. Designed with a compact size, Cassia’s M2000 has been described as an easy-to-install, all-around user-friendly device. It supports Bluetooth roaming and locationing (as well as 4G and Wi-Fi, as backhaul), it can be managed by Cassia’s IoT Access Controller, and it offers customers “true enterprise-grade security, flexibility, and scalability necessary to deploy IoT projects in the most cost-effective manner,” the company wrote.
Back on the 5G topic real quick, Highway 9 Networks recently announced its Mobile Cloud Alliance Program. This, in a nutshell, is basically an ecosystem of best-in-breed enterprise IoT solutions providers that set customers up to rapidly leverage private 5G and the advantages for each of them, therein. As of now, the program’s launch partners include Google, AWS, Fortinet, Digi International, Semtech Corporation, Versa Networks and MultiTech. Other key details can be gleaned from Highway 9’s press release here.
Speaking of Semtech Corporation, this multinational technology company announced a detailed expansion of its distribution footprint; namely, in Canada through its partnership with GetWireless, a value-added distributor of wireless solutions for IoT. Dr. Hong Q. Hou, who this summer was appointed the new Semtech President and CEO, believes that this plan “represents our team’s confidence in generating strong and sustained IoT value far and wide.” Read this Semtech write-up here.
Workz delivers a full suite of eSIMs and specializes in cloud-based solutions for mobile network operators (MNOs). Transa IoT already provides semiconductors and related software and services for large-scale deployment across IoT. Its teams also specialize in System-on-Chip (SoC) optimizations and security-first solutions, aplenty. This context lends credence to Transa IoT’s decision to acquire Workz; as Transa’s CEO Stephane Fund stated, “Workz has an excellent reputation in the market for innovation and agility, qualities we have experienced first-hand since we’ve worked with them as a partner. I see Workz and Trasna as a perfect fit, one that significantly strengthens the value of our IoT offering.”
Uber and Cruise inked a multi-year partnership deal to bring Cruise’s supervised autonomous vehicles to the Uber platform. Once the plan’s officially in motion (pun intended), when an Uber rider requests a qualifying ride on the Uber app, they may be presented with the option to have that trip fulfilled by a Cruise autonomous vehicle. As far as mobility and delivery in IoT, this deal may help secure greater safety and reliability for autonomous vehicle operations. More here.
5G Redcap – i.e. “Reduced Capacity”; we most recently reviewed this topic here, concerning 5G RedCap integration between Digi International and Telit Cinterion) – is foundational for enabling certain IoT/5G solutions, particularly when you’re talking about rugged areas, demands to lower costs, low-battery devices, and lower bandwidth requirements. And according to ABI Research, IoT RedCap module shipments are being forecasted to reach 80 million by 2029.
Data from research and advisory company Technavio indicates that the global machine-to-machine (M2M) services market – this goes together in a hand-in-hand way with IoT, of course – is currently being estimated to grow by $116.80 billion by 2028, representing a CAGR of almost 37.12%. That’s nothing to bat an eye or shake one’s nose at; rising demand for improved M2M data communication is reportedly driving this market growth, with trends pointing towards the automotive industry and 5G technology. Here’s a snapshot from Technavio’s report.
Last (but certainly not least), this one’s a bit of a freebie to wrap this up but I’m running with it. Please remember that IoT Evolution Expo 2025 is on the horizon! Taking place from February 11-13, 2025, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, this expo is part of the #TECHSUPERSHOW experience, an event that combines educational conference programming with a robust exhibit hall, networking events and other activities, bringing together buyers and providers of business technology products and services that are huge for IoT.