IoT News for the Week of December 23, 2022: Stacey on IoT
Rockwell Automation signs partnership to work on industrial IoT in Saudi Arabia: Rockwell Automation signed a memorandum of understanding with the Internet of Things Technologies Company, a joint venture between the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund and stc Group. The MOU is consulted by Rockwell on new business opportunities and innovations within the industrial sector. The idea is that by working together, the country and Rockwell will be able to accelerate the adoption of new technologies for Saudi factories as part of the Kingdom’s digital transformation initiatives. The news doesn’t say much, but it’s worth noting that the Internet of Things Technology Company exists and aims to boost industrial IoT in Saudi Arabia. (arab news) —Stacey Higginbotham
NIST develops a breath detection algorithm that uses Wi-Fi: Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, or NIST, have developed an algorithm that uses interruptions in Wi-Fi fields to detect respiratory problems. The BreatheSmart algorithm correctly identified the simulated breathing conditions 99.54% of the time. It works by tracking channel status information provided to the router more frequently to understand how a person is breathing. I’ve talked to companies that use radar to measure breathing, but Wi-Fi would be even better since it’s already used in homes and everyday devices. Of course, with this level of granularity, people will start to realize that companies implementing this technology will have much more personal health information than they would like to provide. However, it would be amazing in healthcare or elderly care settings. (Engadget) —Stacey Higginbotham
Origin Wireless Signs Agreement with Aloe Care for Wi-Fi Detection: Wi-Fi sensing technology made by Origin Wireless will be used to track the movements and falls of seniors in various healthcare settings thanks to an agreement signed with Aloe Care. Aloe Care manufactures a voice activated home care alert system. Using Origin’s software, Aloe Care will launch new home security devices and a service offering that will automatically detect motion and falls throughout the home without the user needing a handheld device or indoor cameras. I can’t wait to see this at CES and get a sense of how accurate it is. (wireless origin) —Stacey Higginbotham
Philips Hue brings natural light to its bulbs: If you have Philips Hue bulbs, you can refer to the corresponding mobile app. You’ll likely find a new “daylight” option available, something Philips Hue started but then stopped implementing earlier this year. The feature is similar to Apple’s adaptive lighting feature, which modifies the colors of light bulbs based on the time of day. First thing in the morning, white Philips Hue bulbs will provide cool white light that gradually adjusts to warmer colors throughout the day. (mac 9 to 5) —Kevin C. Tophel
Hoobs turns professional for the matter: Remember Hoobs, the $299 pre-built smart home hub with Homebridge software installed? When I reviewed it, I thought it was a good product that provided basic smart home device compatibility for Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, and Google Home devices. But I noticed that it was much more expensive than just buying a Raspberry Pi and installing the open source Homebridge app. Well now there’s a Hoobs Pro model you can pre-order for $399. Why does the price jump? Hoobs Pro supports Matter devices with its integrated Thread radio. The cost is still high for me, but I already have some matter controllers. For a new smart home owner who wants one hub to do it all, Hoobs Pro is worth a look. (nipples) —Kevin C. Tophel
MQTT 101 is already in session: We mention the MQTT messaging standard regularly, mainly because it is one of the de facto IoT messaging protocols. Well, more for industrial IoT than consumer use cases, but still important. Since we rarely explain exactly how MQTT works, this explainer is worth sharing as it provides more context about device messaging. (InfoWorld) —Kevin C. Tophel
What can you learn from a Nest Thermostat CT scan? Arguably, the Nest Thermostat helped usher in today’s era of the smart home. Designed by Tony Fadell of Apple iPod fame, it’s highly functional while also being a beautiful piece of hardware. How did Fadell design the intelligence inside the original Nest? A CT scan of the device provides all the answers. I found this article and the accompanying video quite fascinating. And I learned about the custom leaf spring connectors and other clever engineering approaches used in the product. (scan of the month) —Kevin C. Tophel
Pepper acquires Notion in smart home insurance game: IoT platform provider Pepper has acquired Notion from Comcast. The deal gives Pepper an entry into the smart home insurance market by giving it access to Notion’s multi-purpose sensors and insurance clients. (Stacey in IoT) —Stacey Higginbotham
Amazon launches a limited version of Matter: Amazon has enabled Matter on millions of Echo devices, allowing them to control Matter-enabled switches, plugs, and light bulbs over Wi-Fi. Amazon will add more Thread devices and capabilities next year as it tests how well the rollout goes. (Stacey in IoT) —Stacey Higginbotham