Category: industrial internet

Episode 416: What the heck is an IoT hyperscaler?

With this week’s show I feel like we’re singing the same old tune. Philips Hue maker Signify is delaying its implementation of Matter while it waits for others to implement features it needs. Meanwhile Eve has started selling plugs that are Matter-ready from the get go, and will sell new Matter-ready contact and motion sensors starting April 17. In related news, we tout the fact that the Thread Group has now certified 200 devices. We also see a new integrated DIY home security product from Google and ADT, which is a culmination of their $600 million partnership signed three years back. In enterprise news, we discuss Kore’s acquisition of Twilio’s IoT assets and try to figure out what an IoT hyperscaler is. Amazon has also opened up its Sidewalk Network, a free LPWAN for connecting devices (it’s free because it sends your data to AWS). We talk about what I saw with regards to Sidewalk coverage in my travels around Seattle and the Bay Area. We then hear about Kevin’s frustrations with HomeKit and the latest Apple iOS upgrades that broke his smart home, and new features from the Home+ app which Kevin uses to manage his devices. I then review the Homey Bridge, a DIY smart home hub. Finally, we answer a listener question about Shelly products.

The ADT/Google start bundle which retails for $220. Image courtesy of ADT.

Our guest this week is Chuck Sabin, the head of market development for the Bluetooth SIG. He is on the show to discuss the newly launched Bluetooth standard for Electronic Shelf Labels. We discuss what electronic shelf labels will enable for consumers and retailers, as well as the different services and profiles that the SIG has built into the standard. After extolling the potential benefits for Instacart shoppers, we then talk about smart tags and the concept of ambient IoT. You’ll be hearing that phrase a lot more often. The SIG is working on a standard around smart tags, as well as updating its networked smart lighting standard. You’ll get a good sense of what Bluetooth plans to bring to the IoT, so enjoy the show.

Hosts: Stacey Higginbotham and Kevin Tofel
Guest: Chuck Sabin, the head of market development for the Bluetooth SIG
Sponsors: InfluxData and Silicon Labs

  • Why is Matter taking so long, and what problems should you expect?
  • What is an IoT hyperscaler, again?
  • Amazon’s Sidewalk network is live for developers.
  • How Bluetooth’s electronic shelf label standard works.
  • The Bluetooth SIG also plans updates for smart tags and networked lighting.

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Episode 415: Making meaning from Matter product delays

This week’s show starts off with our take on Belkin deciding to hold off on releasing Matter products, and an update on Matter plans from other vendors including Wyze and Yale. We also talk about Nanoleaf’s new Matter-compatible Essentials bulbs and lights strips. We try to explain why Matter is still frustrating to use and wonder where all the other gear is. Then we discuss Google killing both Glass and its Jacquard touch-sensitive fabric interface. Samsung has a new ultra-wideband chip called the U100 and we talk about where that might be used. In LPWAN news, Unabiz has a new partnership, and in smart home news, Wyze has a new lock. Finally, we answer a listener question about light switches that don’t require a neutral wire. There are a lot more options than there used to be!

Levi’s offers a jacket made with smart fabric from Google. Image courtesy of Levi’s.

Our guest this week is Svein-Egil Nielsen, the CTO of Nordic Semiconductor. We talk about the DECT-NR standard for massive IoT, defining both the standard and what we mean when we talk about massive IoT. We also cover use cases for energy harvesting technology and Nielsen gets cagey about Nordic’s plans for energy harvesting technology in Nordic chips. We end with a conversation about TinyML and how Nordic is planning to make its modules ML-ready for developers. It is a fun interview.

Hosts: Stacey Higginbotham and Kevin Tofel
Guest: Svein-Egil Nielsen, the CTO of Nordic Semiconductor
Sponsors: InfluxData and Silicon Labs

  • Yes, Matter will commodify smart plugs … and locks
  • AR in the enterprise is still a hard sell
  • Let’s build an ultra-wideband standard please?
  • Massive IoT may owe a debt to old cordless phones
  • Wi-Fi 6 will trickle down to IoT devices

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Episode 414: How generative AI could help the IoT

We kick off this week’s show with a focus on generative AI and what new models such as GPT-4 and even things like Stable Diffusion could mean for the internet of things. Along the way we disagree with an article trying to compare digital assistants such as Siri with ChatGPT, and highlight some of the opportunities generative AI provides, especially when it comes to robots. Then we discuss a new deal between Senet and Unabiz that helps drive the concept of a unified LPWAN. We even include a little dish on Senet’s relationships with Helium. After that, we talk about how Google is screwing up Fitbit and the latest wearable sales figures. In smaller news, we offer thoughts on Best Buy’s deal to install home hospital equipment and Amazon’s plans to launch broadband service over satellite. Then we highlight a tiny chip that could attach to your teeth, a hack of Ring’s doorbell, and an industrial attack that uses a speaker to send data. Kevin then shares his latest test of Home Assistant, which he found easier to install and better for HomeKit users. Finally, we answer a listener question about whether you really need a mesh router system for a 1,400-square-foot home.

An at-scale rendering of the wafer chip-scale packaging xG27 SoC from Silicon Labs. Image courtesy of Silicon Labs.

Our guest this week is Nick D’Angelo, director of public affairs for Eaton’s Electrical Sector. He’s on the show to discuss how two new laws are incentivizing consumers and businesses to take steps to modernize the electric grid. We cover the concept of grid modernization and why it’s necessary, the two laws that have the most relevance, and lay out some of the incentive programs that will be available at state and federal levels for things like replacing electric panels and swapping out furnaces for heat pumps. We also talk about how long the process of modernizing the grid will take and then conclude with what else will need to be done. Enjoy the show.

Hosts: Stacey Higginbotham and Kevin Tofel
Guest: Nick D’Angelo of Eaton’s Electrical Sector
Sponsors: InfluxData and Silicon Labs

  • Here’s a great use case for GPT-4 and other chatbots
  • Why Senet’s network may soon include Sigfox
  • Google’s wearables are No. 2 now!
  • How the Inflation Reduction Act and the infrastructure bill will fund a newer grid
  • How long will it take to modernize the grid

 

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Episode 413: Cranes, trains, and cybersecurity

This week’s podcast kicks off with a story about the Pentagon’s fears over a Chinese-connected crane maker and its prevalence in U.S. ports. The Pentagon and others focused on national security question whether or not ZPMC, the maker of these cranes, could gather intelligence or cause work stoppages using sensors and motors connected to the internet. It’s a concern that underscores the importance of trust when it comes to connected devices. In train news, we discuss Norfolk Southern’s Ohio train derailments, the findings of a preliminary National Transportation Safety Board report, and Norfolk Southern’s plans to spend more on track sensors. Could legislation force companies to adopt more IoT? Then we focus on Ring’s new plans to eke out $40 a year for new buyers of its security system product and the new Ring wireless doorbell that will start shipping in April. In cybersecurity news, we talk about The White House’s new pillars to address cybersecurity. Developers beware. Then we talk about the latest Hubitat device, my plan for the new Sonos Era speakers, and Kevin’s troubles adding Matter devices using Apple devices. Finally, we hear from a reader on how to send messages to an elderly parent using their TV and an Android phone.

The new Sonos Era 300 speaker has a new shape and can handle spatial audio. Image courtesy of Sonos.

Our guest this week is François Baldassari, CEO and co-founder of Memfault, who is on the show to discuss his startup, the history (and future) of reliability in products, and his thoughts from a decade of participating in building connected devices. Baldassari was a former engineer at Pebble and built Memfault to solve the problem of debugging connected devices at scale. We talk about why he’s focusing on industrial customers, how reliability has been slipping over time, and why AI will need its own form of debugging in the near future. He also explains the two big trends he’s noticed in a decade of building connected devices. Enjoy the show.

Hosts: Stacey Higginbotham and Kevin Tofel
Guest: François Baldassari, CEO and co-founder of Memfault
Sponsors: InfluxData and Silicon Labs

  • Are Chinese cranes the next Huawei?
  • Will IoT help drive new waves of regulations?
  • Buying speakers is a mess in the wireless and streaming era
  • Will manufacturers adopt a devops mindset for their connected equipment?
  • Yes, connected devices require new business models, and most won’t like it

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Episode 411: IoT is ready to tackle data privacy

The Connectivity Standards Alliance is back in the news this week with the launch of a new working group focused on data privacy, which we’re super pumped about. Also in privacy news, Tile has released a new anti-stalking feature that requires users to register their tags and fines them if they use it for bad behavior. Location tracking, especially at a few meters or centimeters, will be a big topic at the Mobile World Congress event next week, starting with news of a new Qualcomm Aware cloud platform for the IoT and Nokia and Bosch trying out centimeter-level accuracy. We also discuss a new survey from the Eclipse Foundation focused on enterprise IoT and edge computing adoption. In smaller news we discuss a new product designed to track the use of open source software in IoT products and the importance of software bills of material thanks to new data from Synopsys. There’s a new smart button from Soracom and Unabiz that uses LTE Cat-M and also a refresh for Samsung’s Bixby voice assistant. Finally, we answer a listener question about how Matter will affect cloud connections.

The latest survey from the Eclipse Foundation shows that IoT deployments are approaching greater scale.

Our guest this week is Mohammed Ansari, senior director of business development of 5G and IoT at Qualcomm. He’s on the show to talk about the new Qualcomm Aware platform that the chip maker announced this week. The Aware platform is designed to be a cloud-based IoT service that ties into Qualcomm’s chips to provide telemetry, device management and services such as precise positioning and optimizing the network connection based on the quality of local network options. Ansari explains why Qualcomm has chosen to build a cloud and why he thinks that customers will use it (even though chip firms have not historically had success launching software or service businesses). He also describes how two of Qualcomm’s prior acquisitions will fit within this cloud offering. Enjoy the show.

Hosts: Stacey Higginbotham and Kevin Tofel
Guest: Mohammed Ansari, Qualcomm
Sponsors: InfluxData and Silicon Labs

  • The CSA has launched a group to bring privacy to the IoT
  • Connectivity is still too hard for the IoT
  • Open source software is big in the IoT
  • Why Qualcomm has decided to launch an IoT cloud
  • What does Qualcomm Aware mean for other cloud providers?

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Episode 410: Inside the CSA’s plan for health device interoperability

This week’s show starts off with news from the Connectivity Standards Alliance as Kevin and I talk about the new Health and Wellness Working Group. Then we discuss some of the challenges that people face trying to use Matter devices across multiple platforms. It’s not seamless or easy yet. Also on difficult things, we discuss the challenges of securing the industrial IoT thanks to a new report from Dragos. Then we offer a preview of a new wireless technology for so-called massive IoT that will be on display from Wirepas at Mobile World Congress later this month. For those who were hoping for an open source voice assistant, I have bad news. Mycroft.ai is ceasing development of its open-source voice platform, and in addition, will not be shipping voice assistants to Kickstarter backers. There’s good news, however, for Arlo customers who were set to see the end of life for some of their cameras in 2024. Arlo has extended that date, and will continue to offer free 7-day cloud storage to existing customers. For listeners who are interested in energy-harvesting sensors, there’s an upcoming campaign for an open source board from Riotee that will provide solar-power sensing and Bluetooth. And if you’re more into working out and connected fitness, Tonal is looking for cash. Finally, we answer a listener question about upgrading his router and cleaning up his smart home.

Mycroft’s Mark II next-generation open-source smart speaker won’t ship to Kickstarter backers. Image courtesy of Mycroft.

Our guest this week is Michelle Mindala-Freeman, who is the head of marketing and member services at the Connectivity Standards Alliance. She’s here to explain why the CSA is launching a new standards working group for health and wellness. We talk about what types of companies should be involved, what sorts of use cases the CSA hopes to deliver and why now is the right time to make such a standardization effort happen. Given that helping people age in place is one of the more compelling reasons to install smart home devices, the CSA is likely to find members willing to work on the problem. I also ask what other problems the CSA might try to solve. Enjoy the show.

Hosts: Stacey Higginbotham and Kevin Tofel
Guest: Michelle Mindala-Freeman at the Connectivity Standards Alliance
Sponsors: InfluxData and Silicon Labs

  • Matter is having a rough start
  • Say goodbye to Mycroft’s open-source voice platform
  • We expect a new open-source board for energy harvesting sensors
  • Why the time is right for the CSA to tackle health and wellness
  • How will the smart home share wellness data?

 

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Episode 409: ChatGPT takes on the smart home

This week’s show kicks off with our hopes for privacy in the wake of President Biden calling out tech firms during his State of The Union address. Biden was focused more on targeted ads and protecting children, but children’s’ data gets swept up in smart home devices as well, so there’s a chance. We then explore why Josh.ai is combining its voice assistant with ChatGPT and note that smart home forums are banning ChatGPT. Then we talk about a win for Amazon’s Sidewalk Network and how insurers might use it and a new Electronic Shelf Label standard from the Bluetooth SIG. In more wireless news, we discuss a new modem from Qualcomm that will benefit both the industrial IoT and wearables, such as AR glasses. Y’all may recall that I’ve been pleased that the U.S. has started regulating security for IoT devices, and it looks like some of its efforts are working. In smaller news, we cover a review of the Samsung SmartThings Station, an update on Apple’s HomeKit architecture change, and funding for InfluxData. Finally, we answer a listener question about options for open source tools to manage home energy consumption.

An example of an electronic shelf label. The Bluetooth SIG has created a wireless standard to connect these labels to data and power. Image courtesy of Bluetooth SIG.

Our guest this week is Jaser Faruq, Senior Vice President, Innovation at Schneider Electric, who is on the show to discuss why his company is betting big on smart home technology to manage energy consumption, storage and generation. We talk about the three reasons energy management is such an important feature for smart homes, and what it will take to get consumers to adopt it. We also talk about what role utilities will play in the development of a smarter grid and how long it will take before this becomes more mainstream. It’s an important topic, especially for those of y’all considering the purchase of an electric vehicle. Enjoy the show.

Hosts: Stacey Higginbotham and Kevin Tofel
Guest: Jaser Faruq, Senior Vice President, Innovation at Schneider Electric
Sponsors: InfluxData and Silicon Labs

  • Is the US government ready to regulate privacy? For real?
  • How might ChatGPT help solve problems in the smart home?
  • Qualcomm’s new modem is good for the industrial IoT
  • Is this a new era when electricity is a scare resource?
  • We’ll see a smarter electrical grid within the next five years

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Episode 408: Hacking sensors and securing medical devices

This week’s show starts with an overview of the reviews for the new second generation HomePod and a deep dive into the security mess that Anker has made with its Eufy smart home cameras. We then dig into some earnings from IoT chip providers NXP and Silicon Labs, before discussing some new ideas to use RFID to prevent retail theft. We then talk about how the demand for retail tech could be generating demand for better broadband in places where broadband isn’t really all that robust. Then we cover news of a $100 million fund for Industry 5.0 companies (and explain what Industry 5.0 is) and share news of a new smart lock and a new integration for Ecobee. We talk about plans for noise sensors in NYC and Kevin’s review of a $20 Matter-capable smart plug. Finally, we answer a listener question about which video doorbell option makes the most sense, given their particular needs.

Lowe’s innovation group is testing a connected anti-theft program. Image courtesy of Lowes.

Our guest this week is Kevin Fu, who is a professor of electrical and computer science at Northeastern University, and the former acting director of medical device cybersecurity for the Food and Drug Administration. I’ve followed his efforts to hack physical sensors for years, and was excited when he started focusing on medical device security for the FDA. On the show, he discusses new federal legislation that will require companies to get an FDA review of their medical device’s cybersecurity before it goes on the market. This is a first for the U.S. in terms of requiring some sort of cybersecurity review before a product is released, and it might become an inspiration for legislation in other industries going forward. We also talk about how to regulate AI in healthcare and more. Enjoy the show.

Hosts: Stacey Higginbotham and Kevin Tofel
Guest: Kevin Fu, professor of electrical and computer science at Northeastern University
Sponsor: Akenza

  • Transparency is helpful, but not a panacea for privacy
  • The chips are down, but not in the IoT
  • What is Industry 5.0 and why does it matter?
  • The Patch Act didn’t pass, but some elements of it did
  • What kind of regulations make sense for AI in medicine?

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Episode 406: Return of the HomePod

This week’s show kicks off with a discussion of Apple’s new HomePod, which has some cool machine learning capabilities and new sensors built into it, plus a higher price tag than most smart speakers. Then we talk about a survey out of the UK that asked 119 appliance makers about their plans to continue updating software over the life of the appliance, finding out that some won’t commit to updates. A former Nest employee has a new connected composting startup that we have some questions about. Then we talk about some deals in the enterprise and industrial sector with the $1.2 billion acquisition of Sierra Wireless by Semtech completed, and a $7 billion hostile takeover of National Instruments by Emerson. In smaller news, we talk about what it means that Google’s new Chromecast 4K remote does away with batteries, Wyze’s new connected cameras that bring back the $20 price tag, and Kevin’s review of the Govee Smart Kettle purchased by his wife. Finally, we answer a listener question about motion sensors that don’t always work, which inspired us to create a survey asking where y’all build your smart home automations.

The new Apple HomePod will ship on Feb. 3. Image courtesy of Apple.

Our guest this week is Ivo Rook, COO of 1NCE, a company that provides device connectivity for 10 years at a cost of $10. Obviously this isn’t for smart phones or cameras, but for many IoT devices, this type of flat-rate pricing over a long time period makes it easy for developers to create a device and predict exactly how much it will cost to support. Rook discusses how the 1NCE mindset differs from the traditional carrier a-roach and explains the rationale behind a new operating system that 1NCE announced at CES. It’s not exactly an OS, but more of an abstraction layer for data traveling from the device to the cloud. It’s a good idea and the open, developer-friendly ethos 1NCE has is pretty exciting. Enjoy the show.

Hosts: Stacey Higginbotham and Kevin Tofel
Guest: Ivo Rook, COO of 1NCE
Sponsor: Silicon Labs

  • How long will your appliances get software updates?
  • Why Emerson would want National Instruments
  • Kevin’s wife bought a smart kettle, and it’s pretty cool
  • Rethinking the telco business model
  • Is the new 1NCE OS really an OS? Does it matter?

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Episode 402: Google begins its Matter roll out

This week’s show is a celebration of Matter actually hitting devices, with Google announcing its Matter roll out and Eve allowing users to update its devices to Matter as well. We’re super excited to play with Matter, and you’ll read more about in the newsletter or hear us chat about it next week. We also discuss how Z-Wave’s open-source efforts have gone, and the first port of Z-Wave technology to a third party chip. Energy management is becoming a compelling use case for smart home tech given the high price of heat this winter, so we share what might help and how it may change the conversation around connected devices. Then we dig into a new Comcast report on home security that points out the things you’re worried about getting hacked in your smart home are not necessarily what’s getting hacked. In smaller news, we cover gestures and accessibility features for the Echo Show, smarter alarm systems, and a new sensor that’s itty-bitty. We close with chip news about a new RISC-V microcontroller, a new integrated Matter chip from NXP, and Qualcomm’s new LTE Cat 1 modem for IoT. We end the first segment of the show by answering a listener question about outdoor smart lights for cold climates.

Data from Comcast focused on what people think they should worry about, and what they actually do worry about when it comes to home cybersecurity.

Our guest this week is Sean Petterson, the CEO and founder of StrongArm Tech, a company that makes wearable safety devices for industrial and warehouse workers. We talk about the company’s history of building exoskeletons and its pivot to data analytics and wearables, and then the challenges associated with converting worker safety into an ROI. Petterson makes the case that analytics can drive home the importance of keeping workers healthy despite the costs of the system and the perceived costs in terms of productivity. He gives a good example from a warehouse customer using StrongArm’s analytics to send workers home after they meet their quota for the day, even if it means they get sent home early. Petterson says it’s simply not efficient or smart from an ROI perspective to keep them working. We also talk about the ethics of such software and how StrongArm tries to make sure its data isn’t used to retaliate against poor performers. Enjoy the show.

Hosts: Stacey Higginbotham and Kevin Tofel
Guest: Sean Petterson, the CEO and founder of StrongArm Tech
Sponsors: Arm and Silicon Labs

  • Matter hits Google and Eve devices, but wait a second before updating
  • Don’t worry about someone hacking your voice assistant or robot vacuum
  • Check out this new RISC-V microcontroller
  • Keeping workers healthy improves ROI  and this company can prove it
  • What happens when worker data gets really detailed?

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