Introducing our 2021 technology partners!
The global megatrend of ever-increasing connectivity is being seen throughout the world, with rapid technological advancements enabling the third wave of the internet, the Internet of Things. The average person is innately aware of this and might even own some themselves, with IoT devices such as TVs, smoke alarms, thermostats, and even your doorbell able to be controlled through the internet. However, even with the increased awareness of some IoT applications in the home, the application of IoT-based solutions in industries such as manufacturing and robotics is not quite as obvious to the public.
Before we can understand the application of the IoT, it is important to understand how the ecosystem works and what it is made up of. The diagram below shows the purpose and features of the hardware, platform, and applications in the ecosystem, as well as examples of what is included in that component of the ecosystem:
If this all sounds complicated, do not worry as one of the key benefits of the Point.IoT programme is our technology partners, who help provide mentorship and technical support to each of the 10 selected teams across the entire IoT ecosystem. Meet the partners who have joined us for the 2021 edition:
Orange Business Services
Orange business services is a global integrator of communication products and services, offering integrated products and services in cloud computing, big data, the Internet of Things, and artificial intelligence.
Orange Business Services are market leaders in the provision of long-range wireless communication solutions. They offer LPWAN connectivity solutions that allow data to be transmitted up to 30km, allowing for the use of low cost, low power IoT-enabling hardware. This cheap, energy-efficient communication is essential for applications such as precision agriculture and in the mining and oil & gas industries.
As a technology partner, Orange Business Services can provide the teams with expert advice on how to integrate LPWAN connectivity technologies into their solutions.
Ubiscale
Ubiscale are the Geo IoT experts. They are in the business of making key technologies for IoT positioning. By offering IoT consulting, hardware and software design, and geolocation technologies, they have earned a name for themselves in a short amount of time, winning awards for “Best innovation for Asset Tracking and IoT networks” in both 2016 and 2018.
Ubiscale provides services across the entire IoT ecosystem, with one of their leading solutions being the Ubi.cloud. The Ubi-cloud shifts the GNSS and Wi-Fi processing from the device to their platform, reducing the size, power consumption, and cost of the IoT-enabling hardware. In addition to the Ubi.cloud, Ubiscale also offers engineering services, with expertise in geolocation technologies, connectivity, product development, and embedded engineering.
As a technology partner, Ubiscale can provide assistance to teams looking to adoptthe Ubi.cloud platform, allowing them to achieve more with low powered devices. They can provide support from everything from hardware miniaturisation to integration with the cloud.
u-blox
u-blox are focused on developing next-gen services to help their customers locate devices and connect them from silicon to the cloud. In their 20 years of existence, they have achieved an impressive amount of ‘firsts’ in the industry. They developed a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver module for the first GPS-enabled mobile phone, launched AMY, the world’s smallest GNSS module in 2008, and created the world’s first cellular Narrowband IoT (NB-IoT) module in 2016.
u-blox is a leading supplier of industry-quality communication and positioning hardware for IoT applications. They offer prototyping solutions for IoT applications, ultra-low power Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers for low power devices, LPWAN enabled modules, and much more delivered through their cellular, radio, and positioning chips and modules. In addition to their IoT hardware, they also offer IoT platforms through their Communication, Location, and Security as a Service services. Their solutions provide a foundation, design, and end-to-end security that is specifically optimised for LPWAN IoT devices.
As a technology partner, u-blox can support the teams with all their urgent hardware needs including assistance with receivers, chipsets, and modules.
Canonical
Canonical is the developer of Ubuntu, with Ubuntu being the open-source operating system of choice for public cloud and IoT since 2009. Canonical creates and backs several free and open-source software tools designed to help organisations build low cost and no-operations infrastructure including Ubuntu Linux a Debian-based Linux distribution, MAAS a bare-metal server provisioning tool, Snapcraft an Over The Air upgrade service, etc., which form a base for smart gateways, autonomous vehicles, and advanced robots.
Canonical has a wide range of IoT expertise, one example being Canonical Ubuntu Core 20, a miniaturised version of Ubuntu 20.04 LTS made for IoT devices. Ubuntu Core 20 enables innovators to create highly secure solutions and focus on their unique features and apps, with confinement and security built into the operating system itself. Canonical works to streamline the process of getting a new IoT device to market. This is done in part through SMART START, a fixed-price engagement to launch new IoT solutions covering everything from engineering through to updates for the devices. This greatly reduced the risks associated with new product launches.
As a technology partner, Canonical can provide support with getting your software on hardware platforms, allowing the teams to ensure their solutions are as secure as possible, as well as assisting in launching devices to market.
Rokubun
Rokubun is a Barcelona-based company offering accurate and scalable navigation technologies beyond those based on the classical Global Navigation Satellite Systems. Rokubun is focused on the research and development of precise and innovative navigation solutions to meet the growing mass market needs for both affordable and accurate geolocation as part of a wider effort to democratise precise navigation for applications in fields such as consumer solutions, agriculture, autonomous driving, and drones.
Rokubun has one flagship product that is relevant for IoT applications: the JASON Positioning-as-a Service (PaaS). JASON is a cloud GNSS Post-Processing Kinematic (PPK) service that provides accurate and affordable location for post-facto (or near real-time) applications. Additionally, Rokubun offers ARGONAUT, a PPK GNSS Receiver. ARGONAUT is a small, low-consumption, lightweight, compact device that includes an embedded antenna that can be combined with JASON to provide decimeter location accuracies.
As a technology partner, Rokubun can support the teams with hardware and platform-based needs, providing expert advice on the integration of both JASON and ARGONAUT.
How to join Point.IoT as a technology partner?
We are looking to expand our network of technology partners. If your company provides hardware or software in the fields of IoT or GNSS, we invite you to join us. As a technology partner, you will help to foster the next generation of cutting edge IoT solutions, boosting Europe’s start-up ecosystem, and you may even gain insights into new and innovative applications of GNSS you have never considered before.
To join Point.IoT’s partnership programme, please contact the team by email at hello@point-iot.eu today.