Akamai-backed Shield-IoT Raises $7.4 Mn in Series A to Streamline and Secure Mass Scale IoT Networks

Udi Solomon, CEO and Co-Founder (Left) and Ohad Levin, Co-Founder and CTO (Right)

Shield-IoT streamlines the implementation of mass-scale IoT and 5G networks with the world’s first Coreset-AI security platform. “Shield-IoT’s innovative approach to anomaly detection provides accurate analytics at mass-scale,” says Ramanath Mallikarjuna, Chief Strategist at Akamai Technologies.

Shield-IoT, a leader in mass-scale IoT and IIoT network cyber security and operational monitoring, announced today the closing of a $7.4 million Series A round of funding. The Series A round was led by NextLeap Ventures and Bloc Ventures, with the participation of Atlas Ventures, Akamai Technologies, Springtide Ventures, DIVEdigital, and Janvest Capital Partners.

Founded in 2017, Shield-IoT addresses the escalating proliferation of IoT cyber threats to devices, data, critical services, and infrastructure. With Shield-IoT, service providers and IoT brands can monitor and secure their mass-scale B2B IoT and IIoT networks, reduce operational costs, and generate new revenue streams with value-added services.

“Shield-IoT’s innovative approach to anomaly detection enables Akamai to provide accurate analytics at mass-scale,” says Ramanath Mallikarjuna, Chief Strategist at Akamai Technologies. “Akamai is collaborating with Shield-IoT on innovative solutions to enhance cybersecurity and operational monitoring for customers of Akamai’s IoT solutions."

Currently, in use across multiple verticals including telcos, utilities, transportation, manufacturing, smart cities, and government, Shield-IoT offers a simple-to-deploy and easy-to-operate cloud-based software solution to protect any IoT device or application with no changes to end-customer networks.

Based on over 15 years of academic research and 50 academic papers, Shield-IoT coreset-AI patented technology revolutionizes IoT mass-volume data analysis through a unique transformation of “big data” into small datasets. “Coresets compress the data from n to log(n), or from 1 million to 20 data points, enabling context-free highly accurate anomaly detection in minutes instead of hours or days,” says Professor Dan Feldman, Chief Scientist at Shield-IoT.

“Shield-IoT removes the big data barriers and opens the door to a $50 billion IoT connectivity services market (2025)”, says Udi Solomon, CEO, and Co-Founder of Shield-IoT. “Our innovative technology is helping global IoT players to move forward and accelerate IoT growth”.

IIT Madras and Sony India Team Up for National Hackathon To Encourages Citizens to Come up with Solutions using IoT Sensor Board

Representative

Citizens across the country can now participate in solving India-specific problems of societal interest using IoT Sensor Board through a National hackathon called ‘SAMVEDAN 2021 - Sensing Solutions for Bharat’.

Registrations for this Grand Challenge Competition have commenced on July 1st, 2021, and are open to all Indian nationals residing in India. It is being organized jointly by IIT Madras Pravartak Technologies Foundation (IITM-PTF), along with Sony India Software Centre, and is based on the Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation’s SPRESENSE™ Board, which participants can use for this challenge. IITM-PTF is a Technology Innovation Hub (TIH) for Sensor, Networking, Actuators, and Control Systems (SNACS) area supported by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS).

Calling upon Indians from all over the country to take part in this hackathon, Prof. Ashutosh Sharma, Secretary DST, Government of India, said, “The future is all about a tight convergence of physical systems with communication, computing, information and data gathering, machine sensing, autonomous decisions and actions and control. Thus sensors of all sorts will play a vital role in the Cyber-Physical Systems.”

A team with maximum of three members can register for the grand challenge, which will be held in three stages -- quarterfinals, semi-finals and finals. A total of 75 ideas will be selected for the quarter-finals, and among them, 25 best ideas will be chosen for the semi-finals.

There will be seven finalists with prizes for every finalist. Prizes worth 3 Lakhs will be awarded to the best teams. Apart from the prize money, the winners will be eligible for an entrepreneurial support scheme by IIT Madras Pravartak Technologies Foundation. Further, each quarter finalist will be provided with a SPRESENSETM board free of cost by Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation through IITM Pravartak Technologies Foundation.

Highlighting the unique aspects of ‘SAMVEDAN 2021,’ Event Coordinator Prof. V. Kamakoti, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, IIT Madras, said, “IITM-PTF is committed not only to identify innovative solutions and talents across the country in the area of sensor-based solutions but also to provide a platform to successful start-ups that could solve societal problems of national importance. SAMVEDAN is one of the platforms to enable this. IITM-PTF plans to offer Entrepreneur-In-Residence scholarship for the top team for a year which will enable them to nurture it into a start-up.”

Speaking about this collaboration with IIT Madras, Mr. Masayuki Toriumi, Managing Director, Sony India Software Centre, said, "We are very pleased to be able to contribute to India's problems and challenges by using Sony's leading-edge technology, India's excellent software engineering resources, and the ecosystem involving the public and private sectors. I hope that more and more people will take advantage of this unique opportunity to participate in the project and come up with innovative ideas that will represent Amazing India."

For more details contact:

• Sairam Radhakrishnan - IIT Madras Media Cell, Chennai
• Cell: 9840108083/ Email: sairam.radhakrishnan@footprintglobal.com
• Bhavani Giddu - Footprint Global Communications
• Cell: 9999500262 / Email: bhavani.giddu@footprintglobal.com
• Manmohan Negi - Footprint Global Communications
• Cell: 96541 15779/ Email: manmohan.negi@footprintglobal.com

IIT Hyderabad and Its Startup WiSig Announce 'Koala', India's 1st 5G SoC to Drive NB-IoT Applications

Koala, India’s first 5G cellular chipset.

Koala NB IoT SoC fulfils the objective of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ and has wide-ranging 5G applications.

Department of Telecommunication (DOT) has funded this activity as part of the “Indigenous 5G Testbed” project, and MEITY supported the SoC design through the FabCI incubator.

Hyderabad: July 01, 2021: Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IITH), along with WiSig, today announced ‘Koala’ an NB-IoT SoC (Narrowband Internet-of-Things System-on-Chip). NB-IoT is a 5G massive Machine-Type-Communication (MTC) technology that enables low-bit rate IoT applications with long-range and device battery life up to 10 years. Smart meters, machine-to-machine connectivity, Industry 4.0, a plethora of sensor connectivity, asset tracking, digital healthcare, and many more applications find the use of Koala.

The SoC supports 3GPP Rel-13/14 compliant NB-IoT modem with integrated baseband and radio, an application processor, and GPS functionality for location tracking. Department of Telecommunication (DOT) has funded this “Indigenous 5G Testbed” project. IITH and WiSig networks (WiSig), a 5G start-up incubated in iTIC (IITH Technology Incubator) and FabCI (Fabless Chip Design Incubator, a MEITY funded incubator at IITH) collaborated in the successful development of Koala, India’s first 5G cellular chipset. Cyient, an Indian Multinational Company, did the semiconductor design.

Congratulating Prof. Kiran Kuchi for this noteworthy work, Prof. B.S. Murty, Director, IITH, said, “I am delighted that Koala SoC, an NB-IoT 3GPP standards-compliant chipset, has been jointly developed by IITH and WiSig. I applaud Prof. Kiran Kuchi for this initiative. I also thank DoT for the 5G Testbed project and MEITY for the FabCI incubator. Koala NB IoT fulfils the objective of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ and has wide-ranging 5G applications. I am also Happy that Cyient has been a partner in this development, which is a demonstration of synergy between industry and academia, that is crucial for realizing Atmanirbhar Bharat.”

Researcher can be reached via our public relations cell at pro@iith.ac.in for any further queries in the subject matter.

Made in India IoT Startup Kazam raises INR 7 Cr in Seed round led by Inflection Point Ventures.

Vaibhav Tyagi & Akshay Shekhar, Co-founders, Kazam (L-R)

Kazam is India's first intelligent IoT based charging station

Funds raised will be used for product development, ramping up sales, operations and marketing

IPV announces Kazam as its 19th deal for 2021; likely to invest Rs. 155 crore this year across 60 plus startups

IPV has so far invested Rs. 207 Cr across 77 deals

Delhi, June 23rd, 2021: India's first intelligent IoT based charging station, Kazam has raised INR 7 crore in a seed round led by Inflection Point Ventures, one of India's largest angel investment platforms in India.

The funds raised will be used for product development, ramping up sales, operations and marketing, as Kazam continues to provide the most affordable and smart electric vehicle charging stations made in India, and has set up over 30 charging stations in 5 states – Karnataka, Maharashtra, Delhi/NCR, Telangana and Tamil Nadu.

The Electric Vehicle (EV) market has a large unaddressed need for charging infrastructure for all vehicles (2W/3W/4W), in both personal & commercial applications. Kazam aspires to be the most innovative, profitable and consumer obsessed product company through a network of charging stations enabled with IoT device for connectivity, analytics, BMS and ability to meter and bill users through a simple app. According to a report by India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA), the EV market in India is projected to cross over 63 lakh units per year by 2027. The rise in the number of electric vehicles on the road would have a positive effect on cutting down carbon emissions of India and will also help Kazam scale up at an accelerated rate.

Vinay Bansal, Founder and CEO, Inflection Point Ventures says, "In the last 5 years, the Government of India has announced multiple beneficial initiatives to increase the sales of EV vehicles. Many startups in electric mobility are scaling well and we have invested in quite a few. Thus, Kazam fits in organically as we believe with more electric mobility startups getting launched and scaled, the infrastructure and discovery need (specially charging the vehicles) will be critical in the overall success of this sector. Kazam's strong founding team has in-depth understanding of technology and physical infrastructure needed to help the sector grow faster and this encouraged us to invest in the Company."

In a short span of 5 months, Kazam has gone deep in the EV ecosystem. It has built the hardware & software tech for affordable and smart EV charging infrastructure. It has also built an open architecture to help other charging hardware manufacturers to use their protocols and APIs. Businesses can easily connect with the APIs to start their EV journeys.

Akshay Shekhar, Co-Founder, Kazam says, "Electric Vehicles, especially 2W & 3W are growing at a rapid pace and Kazam has a solution for all the EV charging needs for fleet operators, home charging and public charging. We not only provide hardware but the software needed to manage and operate on a daily basis. Our partnership with one of the leading EV fleet operators has already taken a good shape where we are seeing very high transaction rates on our station. We expect to put 10,000 charging station in 2021-22 and build a robust team to support it. Even with the 2nd wave of Covid hitting our way, IPV and our other investors have stayed resilient and continue to believe in our vision to make electric mobility accessible to all."

Vaibhav Tyagi, Co-Founder, Kazam added, "In the consumer segment, customers do want their hands on EVs but the lack of infrastructure makes them hesitant. Kazam's affordable charging stations and its approach to create micro-entrepreneurs who can host these smart charge-points to earn income, will create a network of charge-points across the country."

In 2019-20, India's EV sales totalled 3.8 lakh units, with the EV battery demand totalling 5.4GWh. Last fiscal year, electric two-wheelers were the most common in the entire segment and the sale of high-speed electric two-wheelers is expected to increase rapidly in 2020 as more companies obtain FAME-II certification. The Indian government is eager to improve EV infrastructure and the environment. Various national and state-level policies are currently being developed and implemented. The charging infrastructure specifications are being developed and enforced across the country, from the Bharat EV policy to state-by-state EV policies, Kazam is rightly poised to leverage this momentum and roll out their services to key markets in India.

About Kazam

Kazam was founded in 2020 by Akshay & Vaibhav with the mission to make electric mobility accessible to all. The founders met in PepsiCo and later worked in early-stage energy sector startups, new product development & managing P&L across various countries. Kazam is a brainchild to provide the most affordable and smart internet based electric vehicle charging stations which can be used both for personal and commercial use without any manpower to manage the devices. 

Kazam's solutions can be used by Businesses, Fleets and EV OEMs to integrate even their existing hardware on Kazam's software platform to gain access on utilization, cost saving & environmental impact. Kazam also aims to provide seamless experience to EV drivers including charger discovery, navigation, fast and affordable charging and payment solutions. Website - https://www.kazam.in/


About Inflection Point Ventures

Inflection Point Ventures is a 3800+ strong members angel investing firm that supports new-age entrepreneurs, providing them monetary & experiential capital by connecting them with a diverse group of investors. Believing that 'Everyone can Grow with Startups', IPV was started in 2018 and plans to invest INR 155 Cr in 2021 across 60 startups. IPV's investors' base is seeing a massive influx of highly accomplished CXOs and HNIs, looking to invest in startups with rational valuation and sustainable business model.

How Smart Energy Monitors Could Save You Money On Electricity Bills

Business Wire India
Consumers have little visibility into their day-to-day electricity consumption and how using various appliances can influence their bills. The bill shows consumers total energy usage for the statement period and overall totals for the year. It doesn’t pinpoint how and where of energy consumption.

Smart energy monitors offer real-time information of home or office power consumption on a user's mobile app and track usage trends that can help users consume less energy and save on their electricity bill. Studies have found that users save 15 - 20% on their power bills and significantly reduce their carbon footprint.

Some key features to consider when selecting the best home energy monitor are that they provide energy details of the entire home or office, can provide appliance-specific information, have an easy-to-use app, and offer easy installation. Some monitors also provide “solar net metering”, a useful feature for places with solar installations

For a detailed account of energy use throughout the home or office, consider a whole-house power monitor, which has sensors that connect to the home’s electrical panel or meter. The energy monitor tracks the performance and power consumption of each appliance based on its connection to an individual circuit. The sensors gather information, and the monitor analyzes the data and transmits insights or notifications to the user's phone. When linked to Wi-Fi, home energy monitors provide details on energy use in kilowatts and cost in rupees in real time.

There are many such devices available that offer such features. A popular one is the Emporia Vue manufactured by the US-based Emporia Energy Corp. The latest Emporia Vue Gen 2 version was recently launched in India in partnership with Genconnect Marketing Services LLP. The product is currently available through their website www.indem.in and Amazon India.

SucSEED Invests in Str8bat, An IOT AI Solution for Actionable Sports Analytics

SucSEED bats with Str8bat

SucSEED teams up with Str8bat

SucSEED Angel Network (SAN) backs Str8bat

Str8bat, an IoT solution, that sits on your sports equipment and backed with AI, gives you actionable insights to help anyone who plays sport, PLAY BETTER.

Str8bat founders with Greg Chappell

Hyderabad, Bangalore and Singapore - 02/June/2021 - SucSEED Angel Network invests into STR8BAT SPORTS TECH SOLUTIONS PTE LTD, a Singapore registered firm, to expand its horizon into Sports & Analytics Platform. SucSEED invests in Str8bat through this Pre-Series A round, whereas several marquee individual Angel investors had invested earlier, such as Prof. Padmanabhan (INSEAD), Prof. Sameer Hasija (INSEAD), Samit Shetty (Ex-CEO of Chaitanya India Micro Finance) and Gilbery Rodrigues (Director. SiiX-AGT Medtech Pte Ltd).

Str8bat’s IoT based technology gives real-time actionable insights to budding and professional cricket batters by recording, analysing and enhancing every aspect of batting, while connecting them to world's best coaches and their peers. Str8bat is backed by some of the stalwarts of the industry and is advised by a very credible Advisory team which comprises of people like James Sutherland (Former CEO Cricket Australia and Current CEO Golf Australia), Greg Chappell (Cricket Legend), Scott Dinsdale

(Former Accenture APAC MD and Techstars Mentor), Gilbert Rodrigues (Director. SiiX-AGT Medtech Pte Ltd), Rakesh Chhabra (Managing Partner AARC)

With customers like Cricket Australia, Rajasthan Royals, many cricket academies and clubs, it is already helping 2000+ players get better, with 20% of them playing at the pro level. And that has helped them accelerate their B2C outreach. With ~20,000 pre-orders already in the pipeline str8bat is well positioned to be a true Game Changer. Their patented technology, influencer driven Go-To-Market approach, structured approach to product-market fit and extraordinary B2C demand generation attracted the investors to invest in this high growth company.

This round, led by SucSEED Angel Network, has helped this Bangalore based sports tech firm to start fulfilling ~20,000 pre-orders they’ve received from cricket lovers, professionals and clubs world-wide. Str8bat’s palpably humbled CEO Gagan Daga enthused that it’s a testament to the huge untapped market, the product-market fit which str8bat has established, the patented tech and the rock-star team that has allowed this ‘bat whisperer’ technology to get here. “We’re extremely grateful, and despite the challenges raised by the pandemic, this is a giant leap in our goal of reaching 5 million players, who play the sport with the sole dream of playing better.” Gagan said.

Speaking on why they have invested in Str8bat, Vikrant Varshney, Cofounder & Managing Partner of SucSEED, said “300 Million players above 16 yrs age, play the game of cricket, with 20 Million season ball & bats are getting manufactured in India every year. Smart Sport Equipment are growing by 51% CAGR so Sports Technology is completely an untapped and virgin market for India as there are no solution for the mass segment and we wanted to support Str8bat, which is also led by experienced founders "

Speaking on why is he backing Str8bat, Mridumesh Rai , an Angel Investor with SucSEED, said “With an enriched career in consumer Sector, i assess the start-up with my first question "is there a large enough existing consumer problem that it's solving". Having a physical product gives it a high degree of entry barrier over competition. Their institutional tie-ups and expert endorsement is testimony to the Product Market Fit. The clarity and focus of founders is reflected in their choice of Cricket as a starting sport because of its scale and complexity. What further makes it promising is their ability to expand to other ball based sports and graduating from product to a platform based coaching solution provider. Exciting times ahead”

Anand Agarwal, an active Angel Investor with SucSEED and a seasoned Tech professional, said “ Str8bat has disrupted the learning process for cricket across multiple countries with simple to use device and application. I firmly believe this platform has potential to bring cricket coaches and enthusiasts together which can enable young cricketers to seek expert advice from world’s best experts. Data Analytics platform may have future role in team selection as well as how cricket viewers perceive cricket players ”.

SucSEED Angel Network has invested in around 40 startups in last 3.5 years and has seen 4 exits in last 12 months with 2 of them currently work in progress.

Smart Poles with Integrated Drone Hubs to Power Modern Cities

San Jose, California (USA), June 2, 2021: FlytBase is incredibly excited to partner with Omniflow, an internet of things (IoT) company that manufactures smart multifunctional infrastructure powered by hybrid wind and solar energy. Leveraging FlytBase’s powerful drone-automation software, Omniflow has incorporated a drone charging hub with their flagship product, OMNILED, to create scalable and sustainable networks and highways for drone service providers.

Evolution of the Smart Pole

Automation and IoT has catalyzed global digitization and helped enterprises/services stay connected with always-on devices and cloud-based applications. One of the primary objectives of such modern technology is to optimize resource utilization. However, most public lighting systems today still run on 20-year-old technology that consumes power in a highly inefficient and unsustainable manner. It has been estimated that one streetlight is responsible for around 1.3 tons of annual CO2 emissions. Consequently, excess power consumption owing to outdated technology has long been a problem for its highly damaging effect on the environment, particularly in instances where the electricity is generated by burning fossil fuels.

To address these issues, Omniflow developed OMNILED, a multifunctional lighting solution that can turn any regular streetlight into a smart pole with ultra-efficient LEDs, IP cameras, high-quality PA systems, LTE/small-cell connectivity, public Wi-Fi, and off-the-grid operability with battery storage, among several other features, powered almost entirely through renewable energy and carbon-conscious technology. Their vision and business model are centered around realizing an eco-friendly world that digitizes existing infrastructure, avoiding the expensive and resource-intensive process of remanufacturing and deploying products with limited functionalities.

Development of smart poles has increased the accessibility of 5G connectivity and other essential digital services, such as EV charging, for the world. Today, Omniflow has active sales in more than 30 countries around the globe, with thousands of units already installed. Their primary markets comprise the UK, EU, and the US, with the MENA and South-east Asian regions now receiving considerable traction.

Introducing the Drone Hub

As autonomous drones continued to gain widespread recognition within the automation and robotics industry, engineers at Omniflow began exploring the possibility of retrofitting their smart poles with docking pads that drones could land on for refuelling. Because their smart poles are cloud-connected and equipped with edge-computing capabilities, they were able to easily install a smart charging station for such drones that could be leveraged for various use-cases, including security, public safety, delivery, and emergency response.

Integration with FlytNow

To enable drones to perform autonomous functions such as landing, take-off, and executing pre/post-flight checks, Omniflow collaborated with FlytBase to deploy a fully integrated software solution that would enable remote control of both the drone and the hub. FlytBase’s intuitive and modular software solution, FlytNow, can be used to plan and schedule repeatable missions and set failsafe actions that are automatically triggered during emergencies or incidents. One of the key features of the software is its precision-landing module, which uses computer-vision technology and landing algorithms to accurately align, approach, and land the drones on the charging pad every time.



To learn more, watch FlytBase’s latest webinar on ‘Smart Poles: The Future of Autonomous Drone Operations’ with Omniflow using this link: https://flytnow.com/webinars/flytnow-and-omniflow/

About FlytBase

Founded in 2016, FlytBase, Inc., a Silicon Valley startup, has built the world’s first Internet of Drones (IoD) platform, providing drone agnostic software solutions to automate and scale drone operations. FlytBase offerings are compatible with major drone hardware platforms (e.g., DJI, Ardupilot, PX4) and come with SDKs, simulators, and APIs for reliable testing and seamless integration. FlytBase was a part of Cisco's accelerator program and was recognised as the Grand Champion at the NTT Data’s Global Innovation Contest in 2019.

About Omniflow

Omniflow was founded in 2012 after its initial concept was proposed at the Richard Branson / EDP innovation award. By 2015, Omniflow had begun providing sustainable smart city solutions with the mission to have a positive impact on the world, avoiding CO2 emissions and expanding digitalization. Enabling savings of over 90% on lighting solutions, they were able to further provide value-added services powered by sustainable energy. On the development roadmap, Omniflow has several different technologies that will be implemented at great scale in cities within the next 5 to 15 years.

IIT Ropar Develops 'AmbiTAG', India's 1st Indigenous IoT Device for Secure Transportation of Vaccines, Blood and Body Organs, Food, Dairy

• IIT Ropar develops "AmbiTAG"- India's first indigenous temperature data logger for the cold chain management
• Nation's first-of-its-kind IoT device for secure transportation of vaccines, blood and body organs, perishable products (food and dairy), etc.
• A step forward for "Atma Nirbhar Bharat."
• Technology Innovation Hub AWaDH will give away the AmbiTag device at production cost for COVID vaccine transportation.

Indian Institute of Technology, Ropar (IIT Ropar) in Punjab has developed a first-of-its-kind IoT device – AmbiTag that records real-time ambient temperature during the transportation of perishable products, vaccines and even body organs and blood. That recorded temperature further helps to know whether that particular item transported from anywhere in the world is still usable or perished because of temperature variation. This information is particularly critical for vaccines including Covid-19 vaccine, organs and blood transportation.

Shaped as USB device, AmbiTag continuously records the temperature of its immediate surroundings “from -40 to +80 degrees in any time zone for a full 90 days on a single charge. Most of the similar devices available in the international market record data only for duration of 30- 60 days”, said AWaDH Project coordinator, Dr. Suman Kumar. He said it generates an alert when the temperature goes beyond a pre-set limit. The recorded data can be retrieved by connecting the USB with any computer. The device has been developed under Technology Innovation Hub – AWaDH (Agriculture and Water Technology Development Hub) and its Startup ScratchNest. AWaDH is a Govt of India project. Prof. Kumar said that the device is certified with ISO 13485:2016, EN 12830:2018, CE & ROHS.

Besides perishable items including vegetables, meat and dairy products it can also monitor the temperature of animal semen during transit. “So far, such devices are being imported by India in a massive quantity from other countries such as Singapore, Hong Kong, Ireland, and China," said Amit Bhatti, one of the founders and directors of ScratchNest.

AWaDH Project Director, Professor Pushpendra P. Singh informed that IIT Ropar Technology Innovation Hub is gearing for mass-production of AmbiTag. “The device will be made available to all companies involved in COVID vaccine transportation from production facilities to the last mile vaccination centers in the country at the production cost of Rs. 400. This device is our small contribution to the Nation for coming out of the never-seen-before-pandemic and a push towards the Atma Nirbhar Bharat”, said Prof. Singh.

Assam Students Design IoT-based Portable Ventilator to Fight COVID-19

In response to the prevailing situation of Covid-19 and subsequent shortages of ventilators, Department of Electrical Engineering, Tezpur University has undertaken an initiative to design a portable ventilator, an essential instrument for patients who are unable to sustain the level of ventilatory necessary to maintain the gas exchange functions.

The initiative was part of a project, awarded as the ‘Best Innovative Engineering Idea’ under the banner of Prof. Aparna Kumar Padmapati Annual Scholarship from Assam Engineering College Class 88 Foundation for year 2020-21, an initiative of alumni of Assam Engineering College who passed out in 1988, popularly known as AEC Class 88 Foundation.

A group of Electrical Engineering students comprising- Mr. Bihung Muchahary, Mr. Aniket Raj, Mr. Manish Kumar and Ms. Ankita Das are working in the project under the guidance of Mr. Chiranjit Adhikary, Ex-Guest Faculty, Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Ms. Firdausa Ahmed, Guest Faculty member of Dept. of Electrical Engineering and the project is supervised by Prof. Soumik Roy, Head, Department of Electrical Engineering.

“The purpose of the project is to design a portable mechanical ventilator by automating the operation of 'Ambu Bag' with volume control ventilation which can be used in respiratory failure”, explained Prof. Soumik Roy.

An “Ambu Bag” is a hand-held device commonly used to provide positive pressure ventilation to patients who are not breathing adequately or have severe problem in breathing.

SOURCE - Tezpur University

Disrupt-X in Partnership With Intel IoT Alliance Launch Ignite Shield - World's 1st Water and Air Quality Monitoring IoT Platform

The All-In-One Cloud Platform for Air and Water Monitoring

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, May 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Disrupt-X, a Dubai-based IoT Development Company, announced their first Global Launch of Ignite Shield in partnership with Intel IoT Alliance hosted on Amazon Web Services using Intel Architecture.

Ignite Shield is a full-stacked IoT Solution that can be scaled from a Single Asset up to a City Level which makes IoT for Companies and End-Users beneficial. Ignite Shield includes Smart Outdoor and Indoor Air Quality Monitoring, Smart Water Infrastructure Monitoring (Water Leakage with Data breakdown), Swimming Pool Monitoring, SPA Monitoring, Water Tanks Monitoring and Water Pressure Monitoring from Single Homes to Buildings, Communities and giving a Portfolio Dashboard up to City level where Alarms can be raised for Government Authorities, Facility Management Companies, Operators or individual End-users. Solutions use Long Life Battery devices (up to 7 years) with latest communications protocols as Sigfox /5G/4G/ LoraWAN etc.

These IoT cloud based solutions have a robust web platform and mobile application supported on both iOS and Android devices which are hosted on AWS using Intel Architecture using AI, machine learning and Deep Learning to compute the data and give analytics.

Intel Enterprise and Public Sector Manager for Gulf region Mr. Adib Rajji said, "We strive to provide Disrupt-X with what they need so they can focus on their success with their customers and business. At Intel we enable an early solution development engagement so partners can take advantage of Intel's leading-edge technology and Edge to cloud offerings."

Disrupt-X CEO Mr. Yaseen AlJaizani said, "It's exciting to be at the forefront of IoT based technology, with our new products and solutions offering real practical life optimising uses such as air quality monitoring and water monitoring. Backed by intel power enables seamless processing power and facilitating city wide rollout."

Please visit disrupt-x.io for further details.

How Sensors Monitor Bridges to Keep Us Safe

Vital to our infrastructure, bridges require regular maintenance to ensure safety for the cars, trucks, rails, and people regularly traversing them. Many bridges are 50 years or older, with citizens traveling across structurally deficient bridges every day.

“Structural health monitoring of bridges clarifies which repairs need to be prioritized,” says IEEE Senior Member Clint Andrews. “The deferred maintenance backlog has become so severe that it is easy to just throw up your hands and invest opportunistically in repairs, but the proper way is to prioritize based on the timely status information.”

Technologists are utilizing sensors and other smart technologies to monitor and protect our bridges and from irreparable damage to the infrastructure or the people involved if a structure collapsed.

While sensors are being used to detect early warnings of a catastrophic structural failure, they are also gathering important data about necessary structural repairs after a natural weather event like an earthquake or hurricane.

“In terms of civil management, the wireless sensors are commonly used to monitor and report the physical condition of bridges, such as the slip-factor and humidity,” says IEEE Member Yidong Li. “Estimating traffic on different road segments would provide very useful information for further analysis and decisions that would be taken or generated by the system.”

Gathering this type of data is also helpful for city management, providing the public with real-time traffic conditions.

To create smart cities or Next-Generation Cities that are tech, citizen, and eco-friendly, solutions need to be super-efficient. Innovations like IoT and the use of sensor technology for waste disposal are a few instances. According to IBEF, India will be the third-largest market for construction by 2022.

Sensors are also used for emergency rescue situations in remote areas. “If there’s an emergency condition on the roadside and emergency services can’t be reached nearby due to a lot of traffic, in this scenario, emergency vehicles can be triggered automatically through the connection of nearby wireless sensors sharing location details of the spot to those services,” explains IEEE Senior Member Aiyappan Pillai.

HOW DO SENSORS PROTECT BRIDGES?

A wireless sensor device, also known as a wireless sensor node, has a sensing unit connected to a processing unit, a communication unit and a power unit. The sensor will also have storage memory.

“The sensing unit may include one or many sensors for data acquisition of any physical phenomena of interest, such as temperature, humidity, strain and acceleration. There is also a signal conditioning unit, which incorporates an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) unit for converting the analog signals,” says Li. “The processing unit is the main controller of the node. It is responsible for managing the wireless sensor node operations, including sensing and wireless communication. It generally consists of an on-board computer (i.e. a microcontroller unit) with processing and data storage capabilities.”

“When we monitor bridges, we apply a large number of sensor nodes to formulate a wireless sensors network (WSN) and the sensors formulate data acquisition subsystems,” Li adds.

Therefore, to support the smooth functioning of bridges, it is essential to have sensor technologies and city management will only further help in providing a personalized experience for the city's businesses and people.

Kaye Launches LabWatch ® IoT - An Intelligent, Cloud Based Monitoring/Alarming System Designed to Protect Critical GxP Products and Ensure Patient Safety

Continuous Monitoring in Life Sciences has reached the cloud, and with the use of Big Data, Kaye now presents user connectivity that surpasses the competition. Building on the legacy of Kaye’s LabWatch Pro system, LabWatch IoT takes connectivity, security, data access and analysis to a new level.

 

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210317005020/en/

 

Kaye LabWatch® IoT - Complete Cloud Monitoring Solution (Photo: Kaye)

“Designed specifically for GxP and 21 CFR Part 11 compliance, Kaye LabWatch IoT Cloud allows simplification of the IT infrastructure,” says Kaye’s Product Manager Jon Aldous. “The reduction of system hardware is an enormous cost-saver, and by having all environmental measurements managed in the cloud - unlike self-hosted systems - the clouds’ continual 24/7 remote data access ensures that monitoring and alarming will never fail.”

 

With the cloud, users get instant data access through mobility - alarm message boards, email, SMS and voice services - allowing immediate access to real-time data of their critical processes and products. No more interrogation required – the information is all visually presented to the user so they can take immediate actions.

 

“Facilities can take full advantage of the Artificial Intelligence modules within LabWatch IoT allowing teams to predict environmental or sensor failures” said Aldous. “After learning the heartbeats of individual chambers or freezers, LabWatch IoT can predict faulting items – and therefore save time and money by scheduling required maintenance and reducing the risk of lost product.”

 

Using either Kaye’s redundant wired or wireless sensor solutions, or any OPC compliant transmitter, data is sent directly to the GxP Cloud via secure and encrypted connectivity. Here, the increased flexibility to fully access views, alerts, and reports, from any browser – mobile or fixed - gives the user freedom to truly understand the monitoring conditions of their installation.

 

This latest release of the LabWatch IoT monitoring system further compliments Kaye’s Validation and Cold Chain products, and takes the next step into big data/IoT and its inherent analysis capability.

 

For information on the product, please visit kayeinstruments.com/en/labwatch-iot

 

About Kaye 

For more than sixty years, Kaye has been at the forefront of high accuracy process measurement, for applications from thermal process validation and environmental and cold chain monitoring, to sensor calibration. https://www.kayeinstruments.com

Kaye is a subsidiary of Amphenol Corporation.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210317005020/en/

Skylo Partners With Beetel to Deliver End-to-End IoT Solution to Connect Billions of Machines, Devices, and Sensors Across India

Strategic Partnership Scales Skylo’s Always-On Machine Connectivity Giving Governments, Enterprises, and Small-to-Medium Businesses a Virtual Lifeline Across in India

Skylo Hub, Skylo Platform, and Skylo Satellite Network Now Available Through Beetel’s Expansive Network, Advancing India’s Digital Transformation Initiatives

Skylo, the world’s first and most affordable end-to-end solution connecting machine and sensor data via satellite, has partnered with Beetel, a leading technology brand offering contemporary solutions for modern India’s connectivity and IT needs. The two companies have partnered to rapidly scale the adoption of end-to-end Internet of Things (IoT) solutions to connect the billions of machines and remote assets in hundreds of industries across India. As part of this partnership Beetel will provide sales, customer support, and product fulfillment to support Skylo’s fast-growing customer progress.

“Machine connectivity is critical, especially for those in traditionally analog industries, like logistics, construction, mining and agriculture,” said Angira Agrawal, Skylo COO. “This partnership with Beetel is a big win as we help governments and businesses understand the tremendous value we bring by providing actionable insights to improve efficiencies, increase profits, and even save lives. With Skylo, logistics companies can get faster access to telematics info on their fleet, construction and mining equipment can be connected and managed in any part of the country, and farmers can utilize farming equipment more efficiently." 

Today’s networks were designed to connect people. Machines and sensors, especially those in remote and underserved areas like rural farms and boats out at sea, require a different type of network -- and it needs to be affordable, reliable, and continuous. Skylo’s end-to-end solution meets this need with its Skylo Satellite Network, its elegant Skylo Hub, and its immersive Skylo Platform, accessible on mobile and desktop. Together, these components increase safety, drive economic development and job creation, and help with disaster preparedness. Skylo successfully serves customers across public and private sectors in industries including agriculture, fishing, logistics, transportation, machine health, and others.

  

Beetel’s Senior Vice President Sanjeev Patil commented, “We are excited to partner with Skylo as the ‘tip of the spear’ for the notable growth of the industrial IoT market in India. We believe that there’s a phenomenal market potential to bring analog, previously offline machines online for the first time. Beetel’s customer base, strong network, and experience in telecom, data, IT sales and services, when coupled with Skylo’s disruptive technology, will rapidly propel the Indian market."

 

Skylo, alongside its strategic partners, will continue to advance Prime Minister Modi’s vision of a Digital India by connecting machines and sensors from space, so that businesses can understand, manage, and predict specific aspects of their operation in order to make better decisions. Additionally, Skylo manufactures within the “Make in India” initiative, resulting in highly affordable, easy-to-install devices, coupled with its immersive dashboard for easy access to information from remote locations on mobile devices or desktops. 

For more information, or to deploy Skylo, please contact Skylo at info@skylo.tech or Beetel at network.sales@beetel.in. 

About Beetel 

Beetel is a leading technology brand offering contemporary solutions for modern India’s connectivity and IT needs. Founded in the year 1987, Beetel is one of the oldest and reputed brand name in the Industry, a pioneer in the landline phone category. With its manufacturing unit in Ludhiana – Punjab, Beetel is focused on manufacturing as well as distributing a huge range of products in the form of mobile devices, mobile accessories, IT peripherals, enterprise solutions, as well as fixed landlines. Beetel distributes a host of iconic brands like Avaya, Polycom, Samsung, Panasonic, QSC, RADWIN, Ruckus, RAD, and Actelis. Beetel is known for its innovative product solutions and latest in technology, which are offered to customers at the most prudent prices. In India, Beetel is spread via 10,000 retailers, 500 distributors, as well as 10 warehouses. The company till date has manufactured over 100 million landline phones till date. A household Indian brand which truly needs no induction has served over 20 million customers since 1987! 

About Skylo 

Skylo delivers the world’s first disruptively affordable, satellite-based IoT solution that connects machines and sensors, from slow moving tractors to fast moving trucks, from fishing boats at sea to railcars, from pipelines to livestock, no matter where they are. Skylo continuously collects and shares valuable data through an immersive user platform so people can make informed decisions, faster. The first company to leverage the cellular Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) protocol for satellite communications, Skylo connects remote areas to serve a wide range of industries including agriculture, fisheries, transportation, logistics, equipment health, and others. To learn more, visit www.skylo.tech, or find us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube 

Skylo is funded by Softbank Group, DCM, Innovation Endeavors, Boeing HorizonX, and Moore Strategic Ventures, and was founded in 2017 by CEO Parth Trivedi, CTO Dr. Andrew Nuttall, CPO Tarun Gupta, and Chief Hub Architect Dr. Andrew Kalman. Skylo has offices in Palo Alto, CA; Bangalore, India; Tel Aviv, Israel; Espoo, Finland, and is growing globally.

Patent Filed for IoT-based Organic Fertilizer, By Mumbai-based Universal Business School Professor and Her Team

A senior faculty, Dr. Pranjali Madhur, Associate Professor & HOD-HR at the Universal Business School (UBS), Mumbai and her research team of 15 have recently filed for a patent for inventing IoT based mechanism for manufacturing organic fertilizers for sustainable farming in India.

The details were published with Intellectual Property, India on May 15th 2020 and the team is at present in the process of applying for a grant. 

In a statement, Dr Pranjali said --

This innovation can help make Indian farmers more independent and create awareness related to organic farming and its benefits across India. Our initial research showed that farmers are not aware of the technological innovations that have taken place in the agricultural sector,” she adds. 

How does it work?

• An automatic sluice-controlled valve fitted with a temporary reservoir to allow all ingredients and a central storage container is fitted with an automatic D.C drive stirring device.
• Mobile App to monitor the sensors for measuring the Nitrogen, phosphorus, potash and pulsating pump set operated by farmers sitting at home. 
• The system is sustainable as solar panels fitted for complete power supply to all utilities can inhibit crop growth, increase allergenic pollen production. Surplus nitrogen consumed during crop fertilisation can cause the release of greenhouse gases such as nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The main ingredients of organic fertilizer consist of cattle Sade urine & cow dung mixture, wastewater release from urinals; kitchen rooms form the domestic house and green leaves.

According to her this entire process is self-sustainable and includes solar panels to provide power supply, system to create organic fertilisers and a phone mobile app that any farmer whether literate or not can use from the comfort of his home to monitor the sensors and create and measure the exact proportions of fertiliser contents that are needed to be given to his/her crops."

"We believe that B-schools need to go out of the realm of business and truly impact society and agriculture is one of the key employment generation sectors in India. Our expertise in technology impacting business and the ability to bring innovative solutions at scale into the classroom, allows our students to learn how new solutions can be designed for some of the complex problems facing India" says Tarun Anand, Chairman, UBS.

Data suggests that IOT patent filings have grown significantly over the last few years. As per a recent study conducted by the National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM), over 5,000 applications in the IOT domain were filed in the last 5 years. 90% of these IOT manufactures can be attributed to the 'industry sector.'

Cavli Wireless Starts Manufacturing of LPWAN, LTE, and 5G IoT Modules in India Based on GCT Semiconductor Chipsets

Cavli Wireless, has partnered with GCT Semiconductor and licensed the chipsets, to manufacture and produce LPWAN, LTE, and 5G IoT modules in India. This will be the first-ever initiative to kickstart the manufacturing of industry-grade LTE/LPWAN IoT modules in India. India is an emerging hub of IoT product development for the global market and an IoT module designed, developed, and manufactured in India is already welcoming news for Cavli’s existing customer base.

 

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C42GM is a single-mode LTE CAT M1/NB1/NB2 (upgradable to Release 14) compatible Smart Cellular Module based on 3GPP Release 13, that comes with an integrated eSIM. C42GM has a healthy battery life profile of ten years due to Deep Sleep Mode capability. It also comes with integrated GNSS, Bluetooth 4.2 & Sigfox. The integrated eSIM coupled with Cavli Hubble Global Connectivity ensures the module can be deployed across the globe, making it an ideal solution for logistics, automotive, vehicle tracking systems and more (Photo: Business Wire)

GCT Semiconductor, Inc. designs and develops innovative LTE chipset solutions for the 4G LTE, LPWAN, and 5G wireless communication industry.

 

A key highlight in this collaboration, LTE CAT M1/NB1/NB2 C42GM Smart IoT Module based on GCT GDM7243i, comes with an integrated eSIM, GNSS, CAN controller, and BLE-4.2, making it every asset tracking and automotive solution makers’ dream hardware. Furthermore, the C42GM smart IoT module is Sigfox compatible as well making it an attractive option for organizations focusing on hybrid connectivity solutions. A wide variety of LPWAN applications/use cases like trackers, wearables, smart utility meters, and other sensor-based solutions for smart city projects can be seamlessly powered with the eSIM integrated C42GM smart IoT module with global connectivity.

 

The ever-growing wireless connectivity industry now refueled by the added push for digitization efforts, in the wake of the pandemic, is setting the stage for India to emerge as a global electronic manufacturing hub for the developed markets. This partnership with GCT Semiconductor is positioning Cavli Wireless as a preferred global partner for many enterprise IoT projects where the market is demanding connectivity hardware products with a high level of integration.

 

Currently running pilots with customers around the globe, the first IoT module from this partnership - C42GM will start shipping out globally, on a mass production basis from Q1 2021.

 

IoT solution makers interested in pre-ordering an Evaluation Kit can visit the link for the same.

 

Find out about the latest news and updates at Cavli Wireless here

 

About Cavli Wireless, Inc.

 

Cavli Wireless is a cellular IoT module manufacturer, headquartered in San Jose, California, that combines IoT connectivity and data management into one single platform. Cavli designs and manufactures industrial-grade cellular IoT smart modules that improve equipment reliability and expedite development processes for a variety of applications, including smart city deployments, industrial automation, logistics and transportation, healthcare, and human safety. All smart modules developed by Cavli are equipped with global cellular connectivity through integrated eSIM functionality that provides users with affordable global data pricing, simplified device management processes, and centralized subscription management through their proprietary cloud-based interface Cavli Hubble.

 

About GCT Semiconductor, Inc.

 

GCT Semiconductor is a leading fabless designer and supplier of advanced 4G LTE and 5G semiconductor solutions. GCT’s market-proven LTE solutions have enabled fast and reliable LTE connectivity to numerous commercial devices such as smartphones, tablets, hotspots, USB dongles, routers, M2M applications, etc., for the world’s top LTE carriers. GCT offers LTE solutions optimized for the Internet of Things (IoT). GCT’s system-on-chips integrate radio frequency, baseband modem and digital signal processing functions, therefore offering complete 4G and 5G platform solutions with small form factors, low power consumption, high performance, high reliability and cost effectiveness. For more information, visit www.gctsemi.com.

 

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210124005080/en/

IoT and 5G Boost Global Electronic Test and Measurement Market, Says Frost & Sullivan

Higher demand for connectivity, autonomous driving, and electric vehicles will increase the need for new testing equipment across industry verticals

SANTA CLARA, Calif. , Jan. 7, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Frost & Sullivan's recent analysis, IoT and Hi-speed Communication Powering the Global Electronic Test and Measurement Market, 2020 , forecasts that the advancement of 5G and the implementation of Internet of Things (IoT) technology will help the market reach $18.94 billion by 2025, despite a slight decline of 0.7% due to COVID-19. Driven by digital transformation, IoT, Industry 4.0, and other Mega Trends, the use of connected electronic devices is expected to grow regardless of vertical, as will the demand for electronic test and measurement equipment.

For further information on this analysis, please visit: http://frost.ly/53a

"Electronic test and measurement (T&M) instruments find significant utilization in research, product development, prototyping, manufacturing, and field testing applications," said Prabhu Karunakaran , Industry Analyst, Frost & Sullivan . "Semiconductor automatic test equipment (ATE) is likely to be the top revenue generator due to the sheer size of the market, ever-increasing end-user demand and the evolution of consumer electronics technologies. Radio frequency (RF) test equipment is expected to represent the second-largest revenue opportunity, driven by continuing R&D investments in communications and other verticals—both current and future programs in 5G and 6G—and the commercialization of 5G."

Karunakaran added: "The automotive end-user vertical is also expected to emerge as a significant contributor given the aggressive progress of autonomous projects, which will fuel demand and continue to offer growth opportunities."

For further revenue opportunities, electronic T&M vendors should explore the following growth areas:

5G : Work with various stakeholders in the value chain to capitalize on the opportunities that advancement in mmWave technology and the proliferation of 5G use cases will bring. Autonomous driving : Proactively monitor the development of electric vehicles (EV) and other new mobility technologies to develop solutions that address their natural testing needs. Power applications : Innovate and develop solutions that offer design engineers better noise performance, more precision and the ability to catch fast, small, and unpredictable signals. Edge IoT : Understand varied requirements for testing and design equipment that are cost-effective and require minimum customization. Next-gen data centers : Work with end users to understand relevant requirements and develop products to support such R&D activities. IoT and Hi-speed Communication Powering the Global Electronic Test and Measurement Market, 2020  is part of Frost & Sullivan's global Measurement and Instrumentation Growth Partnership Service program.

About Frost & Sullivan

For six decades, Frost & Sullivan has been world-renowned for its role in helping investors, corporate leaders and governments navigate economic changes and identify disruptive technologies, Mega Trends, new business models and companies to action, resulting in a continuous flow of growth opportunities to drive future success. Contact us: Start the discussion .

BSNL with Skylo To Introduce World's First, Satellite-based Narrowband-IoT Network in India

BSNL, in partnership with Skylotech India, announced today a breakthrough in satellite-based NB-IoT (Narrow Band-Internet of Things), in pursuance of the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modis vision of a truly Digital India starting with fishermen, farmers, construction, mining andlogistics enterprises. With this solution, India will now have access to a ubiquitous fabric of connectivity for millions of yet unconnected machines, sensors and industrial IoT devices.

This new ‘Made in India’ Solution, which is indigenously developed by Skylo, will connect with BSNLs satellite- ground infrastructure and provide PAN-India coverage, including Indian seas. The coverage will be so vast that it will not leave any dark patch within the boundary of India, from Kashmir &Ladakh to Kanyakumari, and from Gujarat to the North East, including the Indian seas.

Shri P.K.Purwar, CMD, BSNL, said:“The solution is in line with BSNLs vision to leverage technology to provide affordable and innovative telecom services and products across customers segments”.He further added:Skylo would also help provide critical data for the logistics sector to enable effective distribution of COVID-19vaccine in 2021and will be a big contributor in service to the nation.”

Shri Parthsarathi Trivedi, CEO and Co-founder, Skylo, said: For centuries, industries, including agriculture, railways and fisheries, have been operating offline, and havenot had the opportunity to take full advantage of the latest advancements in AI&IoT until today.This is theworlds first satellite-based NB-IoT network and I am proud to launch this capabilityin India first to transform lives and our domestic industries”.

Shri VivekBanzal, Director (CFA), BSNL Board, said, Successful POCs have already been conducted by BSNL and Skylo in India and we will soon approach various user groups before the New Year 2021 begins.

This breakthrough announcement is very timely because it comes during the ongoing Indian Mobile Congress 2020. This new technology supports the Department of Telecom and NITI Aayogs plan of bringing indigenous IoT connectivity to India’s core sectors. Examples of where this technology has already been tested successfully include, Indian Railways, fishing vessels, and enabling connected vehicles across India.

A small, smart, incredibly rugged box, the Skylo ‘User Terminal’ interfaces with sensors and transmits data to the Skylo Network and into peoples hands. The accompanying Data Platform provides an immersive, visual, experience for industry-specific applications on mobile or desktop. Itgives users the ability to take immediate and appropriate action, no matter where they are. This new digital machine connectivity layer will serve as a complement to smartphone-centric mobile & Wi-Fi networks, and covers India’s full geography to bring online new applications for the first time.

Introducing New Arm Roadmap Guarantee and Other Arm IoT Initiatives for Accelerating Endpoint AI

• Expanding the endpoint AI capabilities of the Arm Flexible Access portfolio with the inclusion of the Arm Cortex-M55 and Ethos-U55
• A new Roadmap Guarantee for our Arm Flexible Access customers
• Focusing our software investment on simplifying development to unleash the potential of our diverse IoT ecosystem

While the Internet of Things (IoT) revolution may still be in its early days, there is already one undeniable similarity to the smartphone revolution - the Arm ecosystem is the driving force behind both.
 
Arm is in a unique position to drive the innovation and adoption of IoT everywhere, and here are three numbers that highlight why it is unique – 70, 100, and 180. Arm technology touches 70% of the world’s population, thanks to its partners having shipped 180 billion Arm-based chips since Arm was founded 30 years ago. And of those 180 billion chips, more than 100 billion have shipped in just the past five years alone. 

Arm’s technology is the foundation upon which diverse, innovative, and life-changing applications are built, from smart healthcare to remote monitoring, from industrial robotics to the connected home.
 
New additions to Arm Flexible Access: Putting endpoint AI in everyone’s hands 
It’s expected that endpoint AI (IoT endpoint devices locally processing data into actionable insights) will accelerate the value generated from IoT and drive adoption. To do this at a cost point and power budget that enables mass deployment of efficient and intelligent endpoint AI, earlier this year Arm introduced the industry’s first microNPU, the Ethos-U55, and the Cortex-M55 microcontroller. And most recently, Arm announced the Ethos-U65, which brings the same capability to higher performance points and extends microNPU applicability to Cortex-A based systems.
 
To help further accelerate endpoint AI deployments, the Flexible Access portfolio has been expanded to include both Cortex-M55 and Ethos-U55, giving Flexible Access partners the freedom to explore, experiment and design with these products without any up-front license costs.
 
A new Roadmap Guarantee for Flexible Access partners
Since the launch of Flexible Access in summer 2019, more than 100 innovative companies, from startups, to ASIC houses to established semiconductor companies, have signed on. More than half of these are first-time Arm silicon partners.
 
As more partners continue to sign on, Arm is evolving the program to ensure they have the confidence to develop the long-term roadmaps their IoT solutions will require by introducing the Roadmap Guarantee for Flexible Access. The Roadmap Guarantee ensures:

• Arm will continue to offer the CPUs included in the Flexible Access portfolio for five years.
• A commitment that Arm will add future Cortex-M and Ethos-U products to Flexible Access shortly after they come to market. 

 
Keeping it simple and collaborating in a software-defined world
The updates to Flexible Access give silicon partners greater access to Arm endpoint AI IP, but also benefit the software developer ecosystem. Arm is committed to making the software development experience on Arm as seamless and simple as possible. The service-orientated architecture of the cloud native datacenter is colliding with the weird, wonderful, and diverse hardware that makes up embedded edge and endpoint devices. Working with the ecosystem, Arm is focused on ensuring all of the varied and evolving workloads are portable, maintainable, and easily deployed across devices and operating systems while seamlessly connecting to any cloud service.
 
This is why efforts like Project Cassini, an open, standards-based initiative to deliver a cloud-native software experience across a secure Arm edge ecosystem are critical. As well as expanding Arm’s collaborations with partners like Microsoft to deliver a unified and streamlined AI experience for developers to deploy a common, integrated Azure-based toolchain targeting Arm-based silicon.
 
While Arm continues to invest in IoT developer enablement, the amount of work already underway by its silicon partner ecosystem is extraordinary. For example, Renesas recently announced they are expanding microcontroller (based on Cortex-M) support for Google’s TensorFlow lite to enable tinyML powered solutions for applications such as motor control and predictive maintenance for smart homes and industrial automation.
 
Looking ahead 
Arm technology enabled a smartphone revolution that changed the way people used technology forever, but people need IoT to make their lives better across everything they do. Arm continues to set a high bar with smartphone innovation, but for IoT innovation and its unlimited potential to change lives, there really is no high bar or ceiling for what the Arm ecosystem can achieve together.   

Micron and Tata Communications Accelerate IoT Deployment With Cloud-Based Virtual SIM

Representation Only Image

Solution offers flexible global cellular-enabled connectivity, underpinned by trusted edge-to-cloud onboarding

BOISE, Idaho, and MUMBAI, India, Oct. 27, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Micron Technology, Inc., (Nasdaq: MU) and Tata Communications (NSE: TATACOMM) today announced they are joining forces to create a worldwide cellular-enabled connectivity solution that will simplify and accelerate large-scale global deployment of internet of things (IoT) devices. This solution will be powered by a new virtual SIM, the world's first cloud-based embedded subscriber identity module (eSIM), which offers a flexible, scalable alternative to conventional physical SIM cards. The cloud-based eSIM will be enabled by Micron's Authenta™ Key Management Service (KMS) , the industry's first silicon-based security-as-a-service platform for edge devices.

With this technology, the Tata Communications MOVE™ Global IoT Solution will offer a pervasive, end-to-end solution for zero-touch onboarding of connected IoT devices to cloud services across 200 countries and territories — backed by the company's relationships with more than 600 mobile network operators worldwide. The solution will unleash innovation in the expanding IoT services ecosystem, which is predicted to nearly triple in revenue by 2026 to $466 billion (ABI Research, IoT Market Tracker — Worldwide, 2Q 2020 ).The companies are demonstrating this solution, launching in 2021, at the online Micron and Tata Communications IoT Security Conference , kicking off today.

"The business landscape we're experiencing today is uncharted territory, one that is forcing organizations to be agile and adopt zero-touch, digital-first technologies and applications," said Tata Communications Chief Strategy Officer Tri Pham. "IoT solutions can help businesses become more efficient and productive, and can also bring in new opportunities and innovations, enabling them to scale new levels of growth."

Pham added, "Yet cybersecurity, seamless integration, and reliable, robust connectivity and global reach continue to remain key barriers to global enterprise adoption. By joining forces with Micron to reimagine edge connectivity and security, we will create a new paradigm that will rapidly accelerate and simplify IoT deployment."

While industry projections ha d forecasted 50 billion IoT device deployments by 2020, the reality has fallen short with only around 9 billion IoT devices deployed. This disparity stems from vastly underestimated challenges with cellular-enabled connectivity and cybersecurity, which hamper IoT growth. Though cellular connectivity offers significant advantages over Wi-Fi — such as longer range, better outdoor performance, stronger security and existing global infrastructure — ABI Research predicts only 420 million cellular-connected IoT devices in 2021, just a fraction of total IoT deployments (ABI Research, M2M Embedded Cellular Models, 3Q 2020 ). This gap is due to the intricate logistics required for worldwide cellular-enabled services, such as management of physical SIM cards and fixed contracts per operator per country.

Tackling these challenges head-on, Tata Communications will offer a cloud-based eSIM for IoT, underpinned by Micron's flash-based identity platform Authenta KMS. The solution will enable:

Highly scalable IoT security : In lieu of a physical SIM card to verify mobile identity, Authenta KMS provides device identities for the virtual SIM in the cloud, enabling secure, zero-touch device registration and onboarding to IoT services. Seamless global connectivity : The new SIM feeds IoT devices with secure borderless cellular-enabled connectivity anytime and anywhere, eliminating the complex management of physical SIM cards, localized operator contracts and roaming fees. This is especially beneficial for the industrial, infrastructure, automotive, aviation, and transport and logistics sectors that demand far-reaching, global connectivity for portable devices even in remote locations, unfettered by borders and close-range Wi-Fi networks. The solution will also allow enterprises to incorporate 5G into their IoT deployment strategies, taking advantage of 5G's lower latency, higher capacity and faster data speeds. On-demand cellular -enabled subscription : The unique approach to SIM technology enables just-in-time delivery of SIMs so that users don't have to subscribe to a monthly service until the connection is actually needed in the field. This just-in-time delivery reduces customers' capital and operational expenditures, as compared to physical SIM cards that require activation of service contracts well before shipping. Pay-as-you-go flexibility : Tata Communications MOVE™ platform enables pay-as-you-go service, instead of fixed monthly contracts. This is especially beneficial for customers who don't need always-on cellular-enabled connectivity, such as those combining Wi-Fi and mobile networks. Micron and Tata Communications open up innovation for the IoT services ecosystem

In dramatically simplifying flexible global connectivity, the edge-to-cloud solution will also unlock rich possibilities for innovation in the IoT market.

"The IoT ecosystem is at a tipping point. While there is untapped business opportunity, current hardware security methods are too complex and costly, or they limit scalability and flexibility," said Kris Baxter, vice president and general manager of Micron's Embedded Business Unit. "With Tata Communications' cloud-based virtual SIM, Micron's Authenta edge security will bridge this gap, fostering enterprise IoT adoption and open innovation in IoT services."

With physical SIM cards, OEMs must tightly pair device identity to the IoT service during manufacturing to prevent interaction of insecure devices and services, but this results in vendor lock-in. Authenta's simple authentication decouples IoT service security needs from manufacturing flow by allowing late binding of third-party certificates. This flexibility frees end users to securely access diverse, vendor-agnostic services, allowing them to customize and harness IoT devices as platforms for innovation, akin to the robust customization of smartphones with mobile app stores today. Opening up the ecosystem, Micron and Tata Communications will empower the IoT services market to reach its full promise with a broader device footprint.

Micron's Authenta security-as-a-service solution powers flash-based IoT identities

As the threat landscape grows riskier with sophisticated bad actors and hacks on IoT devices from connected fish tanks to baby monitors , cybersecurity is a weak link in IoT adoption. Through its silicon root of trust, Authenta provides a unique level of protection for the lowest layers of IoT software. Starting with the boot process, Authenta uses strong cryptographic identity and security features baked natively into flash memory. To enable device compatibility with this new SIM, OEMs need only to install Authenta flash ; no secure key injection or added secure elements are required.

Leveraging this root of trust, Micron's cloud-based service Authenta KMS authenticates these IoT devices, allowing them to be activated and managed at the edge. This enables platform-hardening and device protection through the entire lifecycle, from manufacturing to installation. The ease of this security-as-a-service solution is particularly beneficial for traditional manufacturers making forays into connected devices for IoT use cases. With Authenta's plug-and-play security, these OEMs, who lack cybersecurity experience, can focus on their core competencies and rely on Micron's decades of embedded expertise to provide hardware security.

Availability

This cloud-based eSIM for IoT devices is slated to begin shipping in the first half of 2021. Those interested in learning more about the eSIM can reach out to MOVE@tatacommunications.com . For additional inquiries on Micron's Authenta technology, contact authenta@micron.com .

About Micron Technology, Inc.

We are an industry leader in innovative memory and storage solutions. Through our global brands — Micron® and Crucial® — our broad portfolio of high-performance memory and storage technologies, including DRAM, NAND, 3D XPoint™ memory and NOR, is transforming how the world uses information to enrich life for all . Backed by more than 40 years of technology leadership, our memory and storage solutions enable disruptive trends, including artificial intelligence, 5G, machine learning and autonomous vehicles, in key market segments like mobile, data center, client, consumer, industrial, graphics, automotive, and networking. Our common stock is traded on the Nasdaq under the MU symbol. To learn more about Micron Technology, Inc., visit micron.com.

© 20 20 Micron Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. Micron, the Micron logo, and Intelligence Accelerated are trademarks of Micron Technology, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

About Tata Communications

Tata Communications is a digital ecosystem enabler that powers today's fast-growing digital economy. The company enables the digital transformation of enterprises globally, including 300 of the Fortune 500 – unlocking opportunities for businesses by enabling borderless growth, boosting product innovation and customer experience, improving productivity and efficiency, building agility and managing risk. With its solutions orientated approach and proven managed service capabilities and cutting-edge infrastructure, Tata Communications drives the next level of intelligence powered by cloud, mobility, Internet of Things (IoT), collaboration, security, and network services. Tata Communications carries around 30% of the world's internet routes and connects businesses to 60% of the world's cloud giants and 4 out of 5 mobile subscribers. The company's capabilities are underpinned by its global network, the world's largest wholly owned subsea fibre backbone and a Tier-1 IP network with connectivity to more than 200 countries and territories. Tata Communications Limited is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange of India.

© 2020 Tata Communications. All rights reserved. TATA COMMUNICATIONS and TATA are trademarks of Tata Sons Private Limited in certain countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Tata Communications MOVE is a trademark of Tata Communications in certain countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Artificial Intelligence, Tele-ophthalmology, and IoT to Drive the Ophthalmic Diagnostic and Monitoring Devices Market

COVID-19 pandemic is pushing the demand for contactless ophthalmic diagnosis and portable handheld devices, finds Frost & Sullivan

Artificial Intelligence, Tele-ophthalmology, and IoT to Drive the Ophthalmic Diagnostic and Monitoring Devices Market (PRNewsfoto/Frost & Sullivan)

Frost & Sullivan's recent analysis, Emerging Technologies Driving Growth Opportunities in Ophthalmic Diagnostic and Monitoring Devices, finds that the demand for ophthalmic diagnosis and monitoring devices is expected to surge as the prevalence of eye diseases rises because of the growing aging population, lifestyle changes, and increasing incidence of chronic diseases. Advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and telemedicine in the ophthalmic diagnosis and monitoring space play crucial roles in driving the market as they address the need for eye screening by increasing operational efficiency, accuracy, cost efficiency and access to ophthalmic care. 

For further information on this analysis, please visit: http://frost.ly/4jn

"Conventional ophthalmic diagnostic devices are bulky and non-portable, take a long time for analysis, require expertise, are uncomfortable for patients, and require frequent visits to the clinic or hospital," said Dr. Sneha Maria Mariawilliam, Technical Insights Senior Research Analyst at Frost & Sullivan. "Going forward, these emerging technologies will support ophthalmologists in better understanding of diseases, taking rapid clinical decisions, and also improving patient compliance and access to eye care, while obtaining better clinical outcomes. These digital solutions will enable ophthalmic diagnostic companies to strengthen their portfolio and stay competitive in the growing market."

Mariawilliam added: "The COVID-19 pandemic outbreak is pushing the demand for contactless ophthalmic diagnosis and monitoring technologies due to which home-monitoring devices and portable handheld devices will experience massive growth in the days ahead. Healthcare providers are adopting new business models, and digital-based devices and platforms are the most sought-after solutions in ophthalmic care in the current scenario."

Due to the expected shortage of ophthalmologists and increase in the number of patients with eye diseases and disorders, along with the need for timely diagnosis and treatment, ophthalmic diagnostic and monitoring devices with high operational efficiency will find promising growth opportunities in the industry, including:

• Partnering with AI technology providers to improve ophthalmic diagnosis efficiency and accuracy to help ophthalmologists in managing the anticipated overwhelming patient numbers.
• Launching new and reliable handheld devices with increased image quality and added digital solution features to increase the access to ophthalmic care in remote regions of developing countries.
• Investing in the development of home monitoring for ophthalmic diseases, as continuous monitoring of disease progression and efficacy of treatment can enhance the clinical outcome. Strategic partnering, mergers and acquisitions in this space are also growth levers.
• Driving growth through geographical expansion of digital health companies using telemedicine solutions in low- and middle-income countries as there is a high demand for remote ophthalmic consultations in these regions.

Emerging Technologies Driving Growth Opportunities in Ophthalmic Diagnostic and Monitoring Devices is the latest addition to Frost & Sullivan's Technical Insights research and analyses available through the Frost & Sullivan Leadership Council, which helps organizations identify a continuous flow of growth opportunities to succeed in an unpredictable future.

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