Smart Cities

IoT connectivity box provides remote access in industrial areas

Thu, Aug 02, 2018

Finnish company, Tosibox, offers the Lock 500, a connectivity and remote access device designed particularly for demanding industrial environments. The Lock 500 can also be used in the security and office networking sectors.

“The importance and amount of data is constantly growing in application areas such as machine builders collecting high data volumes, CCTV in security and infrastructure, and ICT applications and office remote work, says Tero Lepistö, Tosibox CEO. “Dual-SIM slots for operator redundancy allows for even more reliable connectivity,” he adds.

Tosibox Lock 500 meets the needs of industrial customers, with features such as industrial power connector, integrated DIN rail mounting bracket and industrial housing.

It has a robust, fanless enclosure made of aluminum with IP 20 rating. The back of the Lock 500 has an integrated DIN rail bracket for easy mounting. There is also an industrial screw-on DC power connector and the power source is provided with suitable connectors as an accessory.

For IT and security services, the Lock 500’s VPN throughput is suitable for remote video streaming of security cameras. Tosibox Lock 500 can also be used for connecting demanding IT network infrastructures and for building more affordable remote business solutions.

The Lock 500 boasts impressive cyber security features such as the secure storage of encryption and authentication keys in a hardware-based secure storage, which makes copying or faking the device identity impossible, claims Tosibox. The integrity and confidentiality of the software is always verified at boot-up. All software updates are cryptographically signed and verified before installing, ensuring only Tosibox product updates are allowed.

The device holds the CE certificate, with remaining approvals, FCC and UL to be added later.

This news story is brought to you by softei.com, the specialist site dedicated to delivering information about what’s new in the electronics industry, with daily news updates, new products and industry news.

To stay up-to-date, register to receive our weekly newsletters and keep informed of the latest technology news and new products from around the globe. Simply click this link to register here:  softei.com

www.tosibox.com

> Read More

Infineon and Alibaba Cloud Sign MoU on Internet of Things (IoT)

Thu, Aug 02, 2018

Munich, Germany, and Shanghai, China – 2 August 2018 – Infineon Technologies AG and Alibaba Cloud Computing Company (Alibaba Cloud) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the joint promotion of IoT applications within the fields of smart life and smart industry. Infineon and Alibaba will thus facilitate the digital upgrade of Chinese enterprises and cities.

As an active promoter and practitioner of Industry 4.0, Infineon will rely on its own core technology and service advantages in the field of IoT to collaborate with Alibaba Cloud on its IoT operating system, AliOS Things, and provide technical services. Additionally, with the acceleration of the IoT application process, new requirements are also placed on system security. As part of this collaboration, the two parties will further explore the planning, implementation and security standards of the IoT, enabling SMEs and individuals to deploy and access Alibaba Cloud in a low-cost, highly reliable manner. This will enable the participants to share in the development dividend of the IoT, while protecting them from losses caused by security risks. The two companies also plan to collaborate on e-commerce channels.

Based on this, both parties will make use of Alibaba Cloud’s integration capabilities and successful experiences in IoT and work together to create advanced and secure IoT solutions. This will help upgrade and transform the smart digitalization of SMEs, allowing them to manage the entire production process through digital means.

“The construction and improvement of the IoT ecosystem requires gathering the advantageous resources and power of all parties,” said Wei Ku, Vice President of Alibaba Group and General Manager of Alibaba Cloud IoT. “This partnership combines Alibaba Cloud’s capabilities in operating systems with Infineon’s semiconductor technology solutions. We believe that this will effectively promote the deployment of IoT in smart industries.”

“As the world’s leading semiconductor manufacturer, Infineon is committed to combining our advanced IoT semiconductor solutions with local experience,” said Andreas Urschitz, President of the Power Management & Multimarket Division at Infineon, “This partnership with Alibaba marks our efforts in this field.”

“Sustainable growth in mainland China is one of Infineon’s most important development strategies, and is also our long-term goal in the Chinese market,” said David Poon, Vice President of Power Management & Multimarket, Infineon Greater China. “We are very pleased to work with leading companies like Alibaba Cloud, and to join in creating an IoT service platform that meets the needs of the local market, helps companies achieve digitalization, and provides a driving engine for innovation and the development of smart cities in China.”

> Read More

AAEON Partners Everlight to Create Taipei’s Smart Street Light System

Thu, Aug 02, 2018

AAEON has joined with Everlight Electronics to participate at Taipei City Government’s “Innovative Works Smart Taipei Taipei LED Street Light Results Presentation.” The presentation showcased the latest smart street light solutions and highlighted the work being done to turn the city into a global leader for cost-effective energy efficiency.

The city government is currently engaged in the “Taipei LED Lighting Installation Appointment Project,” a two-year scheme which is scheduled to be completed during the current quarter. As part of the project, the city’s streetlights are being replaced with new LED systems that use 20% less electricity than previous installations.

At the same time, the world’s first interactive smart light poles are being installed throughout the city. The AAEON-developed technology uses existing power lines and wireless data transmission architectures such as NB-IoT, LoRa, and Zigbee to provide an integrated, diversified framework that can serve as the foundation of future smart city systems.

“AAEON is committed to the development of smart street lamps,” said AAEON New Business Development Division senior consultant Steve Hsu. “By combining smart street lamps with smart light poles, we have been able to make smart city solutions more complete.”

“Our remote control platform combines AI edge and cloud computing to improve the transmission and analysis of data from the entire system. As a result, in addition to improving street lamps’ energy efficiency, we can quickly provide accurate and insightful data reference materials for energy use and environmental impact,” Hsu added.

By using the remote platform to monitor street lighting equipment, the city will be able to cut maintenance costs. Additionally, AAEON’s smart lampposts can be used to monitor air quality and traffic levels, support interactive multimedia interfaces, and also provide additional functions including Internet hotspots, equipment charging stations, and even interactive video games.

> Read More

2G cellular module offers upgrade path to 3G, LTE or LPWA

Mon, Jul 30, 2018

A quad-band GSM/GPRS cellular module, the u‑blox SARA-G450, has optimised power consumption for IoT applications, says u-blox.

The SARA-G450 2G cellular module for machine to machine (M2M) applications, such as utility metering and tracking systems is in the established SARA form factor. The module lets product developers migrate their products to 3G, LTE, or LPWA technology to meet a broad range of environmental and technological requirements.

2G cellular technology offers reliable performance for mobile applications and broad geographical coverage. It has been the technology of choice for machine type connectivity such as fleet management, metering and tracking. While some regions are currently phasing out their 2G network infrastructure, 2G continues to be a viable and popular option for M2M solutions in regions still lacking NB-IoT and LTE Cat M1 networks or where coverage is ‘spotty’. The SARA-G450 targets cost and space-sensitive applications in these markets, says u-blox.

It is pin-compatible with the entire u-blox cellular range, enabling designers to use a single platform and PCB design for designs intended for a variety of air interface technologies, including  2G, 3G, LPWA (LTE Cat M1 and NB1), and high speed LTE. According to u-blox, this also means that product developers can anticipate future upgrades of their applications to move to LTE Cat M1 and NB1 connectivity as soon as they become available in their target markets.

SARA-G450 is a standard grade quad-band GSM/GPRS module that is power-optimised for IoT applications. It can combine with a variety of best-in-class u‑blox GNSS or Bluetooth modules for solutions that integrate positioning, short range and cellular communication. An embedded internet suite facilitates the development of a range of M2M devices.

u‑blox provides positioning and wireless communication technologies for the automotive, industrial, and consumer markets, to allow people, vehicles, and machines determine their precise position and communicate wirelessly over cellular and short range networks. The company portfolio includes chips, modules, and a growing ecosystem of product supporting data services.

http://www.u-blox.com

> Read More

About Smart Cities

This news story is brought to you by smartcitieselectronics.com, the specialist site dedicated to delivering information about what’s new in the Smart City Electronics industry, with daily news updates, new products and industry news. To stay up-to-date, register to receive our weekly newsletters and keep yourself informed on the latest technology news and new products from around the globe. Simply click this link to register here: Smart Cities Registration