Eve’s smart blinds are quiet and Thread compatible: Kevin reviewed the new Eve blinds that work with HomeKit and use Thread for connectivity. Eve blinds join a quick selection for smart window covering such as those from IKEA, Lutron, and Somfy. Find out what Kevin is thinking. (Stacey on the IoT)
IoT is becoming a business enabler: The internet of things has long focused on the mechanics of deploying connected sensors, as well as on the technology itself. But I’m even more excited to see the launch of businesses that take advantage of large amounts of data to develop new products, and of companies relying on the IoT as an enabler. It’s like the transition from writing about 4G and GPS on smartphones to writing about Uber and Waze that happened a few years ago. And this is why I was shocked to see this story about Vida Vanilla, which uses sensor -based technology to plant vanilla in new parts of the world. I can’t wait to see what else people think. (TechCrunch)
Comcast sees home health devices on the rise during the pandemic: Comcast, the nation’s largest broadband provider, has released some interesting data showing the growth of devices connected to home Wi-Fi networks. Comcast saw 39 times more smart watches and fitness trackers connecting to home networks by the end of 2021 compared to the end of 2018. Pelotons and other connected exercise equipment also grew in homes that added nearly 841,000 devices to their networks, which is 93 times higher than in 2018. It’s not as exciting as it looks just because it grew from a small initial number. But according to the report, one in five households plans to buy fitness -related devices in the next 12 months, so that’s a pretty big deal. Comcast has approximately 33 million broadband subscribers, and if 20% of them add connected gear, that’s a big help. Comcast also said Xfinity households will connect more than 2.5 million IoT devices in 2021, a 31x increase to levels in 2018. (Comcast)
Google has planned changes to its privacy policies: Like Apple, which last year tweaked its privacy settings to make it easier for consumers to see and opt in to sharing their data with apps, and also removed some forms of digital email tracking and other services, Google examines how it shares user data across its smartphones. The company said it will make changes over the next two years that limit data sharing among apps and with third parties. Apple’s changes were blamed on Meta’s poor performance in the latter part of the fiscal year, and I even feel the impact of Apple’s privacy changes on our tiny newsletter because I can no longer get accurate details about in the number of people opening it. But overall, Apple’s changes have helped make the tracking industry more visible to consumers, which is ultimately a good thing. So I hope to see Google following through. (The New York Times)
The time series database company updated its software for IIoT: Influx Data, a software company that provides time series databases, has added several new features designed to meet the needs of industrial clients eager to do more computing on the edge of their network . Time series databases are essential for the IoT, typically consisting of a time and a data point. For example time and temperature. Influx Data simplifies the installation of its software on built-in devices and makes it possible to ingest MQTT data. MQTT is a popular protocol for IoT use cases. Influx Data also boasts that its database is used as part of both the PTC and Siemens IIoT platforms, which is pretty cool. (Influx Data)
This partnership of NTT and ServiceNow is quite compelling: Ignore the business jargon from the press release announcing the tie-up, which says the partnership between service integrator NTT and ServiceNow is an “AI-enabled end-to-end workflow automation platform” with NTT private 5G network option. What the partnership actually helps is documenting and enabling a business process that helps frontline workers figure out exactly what to do when a connected device sends an alert. We talk a lot about the nuts and bolts of digital transformation, but once the hardware and software are deployed, the heavy lift really encourages employees to change the way they do things to take advantage. the new information they have. ServiceNow makes software to track work orders and binds its platform to alerts thrown by connected operational software. So when the company’s connected machine predicts an impending failure, the ServiceNow software can retrieve the failure information and create a work order so an employee can get out there and fix it. This may not seem like a big deal, but when dealing with machine data in size and complex procedures, having automated processes is essential. (Enterprise IoT Insights)
Do you want your employer to send you a smart office? Google has created a connected smart light for its employees that we probably won’t see in stores. The light acts as a desk lamp, a Zoom light handy with the camera, or a way to connect to the Google assistant. The catch is for employees only this light. It seems a strange thing for a company to give to its workers, except that during a pandemic, more businesses try to provide office supplies or reimbursement for better office furniture to employees stuck working from at home. I’m all for ergonomic chairs and keyboard trays, but bringing a home office device with a microphone and connectivity makes me wonder what data Google can collect from the thing. It may be less intrusive than a keystroke logging program, but it looks pretty scary. (9to5Google)
There is a new ransomware gang in town: The Federal Bureau of Investigation is warning businesses that a new Russian ransomware gang is running today. The group is called BlackByte and it specifically targets connected infrastructure, which means that anyone operating power plants, water utilities, hospitals, and construction sites should check their security patches (especially any servers). of Microsoft Exchange) and warn employees not to click on strange links or plug in random USB drives. (FBI)
Supercapacitors that can bend it like Beckham: Researchers from the University of Surrey’s Advanced Technology Institute (ATI) in the UK and Federal University of Pelotas in Brazil have created flexible supercapacitors that can be used for wearable IoT devices. Supercapacitors are like batteries that store and release energy. But supercapacitors store electrical energy as opposed to relying on chemical changes as batteries do. And while supercapacitors are famous for enabling styluses and smaller devices, with the use of carbon nanotubes, one can make fast-charging supercapacitors that are flexible enough for clothing or footwear. The use of carbon nanotubes can also lead to lower costs for supercapacitors allowing for them to be more ubiquitous. There is a lot of interest in technology, so keep an eye on it. (Phys.org)
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