IoT Tech Expo: Accelerating sustainability with satellites

During this year’s IoT Tech Expo North America, we heard from Jat Brainch, Chief Commercial and Digital Officer at Inmarsat, about how satellites can accelerate sustainability.

Satellite technology has emerged as a powerful tool in driving sustainability efforts across various sectors. From revolutionising agriculture practices to reducing carbon emissions, satellites offer immense potential in advancing environmental goals.

In Australia, for instance, Inmarsat’s...

23 May 2023 | Applications

Apple’s mixed-reality headset will use magnetic batteries

Apple's upcoming mixed-reality headset will feature a unique magnetic port for attaching a battery pack.

According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the external battery pack will have a proprietary connector on one end that attaches to the headset itself. The magnetic connector will be round-tipped and will lock into the port by the user turning it.

Each battery pack will offer just two hours of battery life. The magnetic connection will enable users to quickly and securely...

24 April 2023 | Applications

Simulation with digital twins aids decision-making for large systems

What if telematics applications could track telemetry from every vehicle in a fleet, and immediately analyze it to identify issues, such as lost or erratic drivers or emerging mechanical problems? What if airlines could continuously track the progress of passengers during their itineraries and proactively respond to delays and cancellations to reduce stress and smooth operations? What if rail operators could detect impending mechanical failures before a derailment...

30 March 2023 | Digital Twin

BT taps AWS Wavelength to kickstart ‘new generation’ of IoT benefits

BT is partnering with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to kickstart a “new generation” of IoT benefits.

The UK’s largest telco by subscribers will use AWS Wavelength – which embeds compute and storage services within 5G networks – to enable ultra-low latency applications.

Alex Tempest, MD for BT Wholesale, said:

“As we continue to build best-in-class 5G infrastructure for the UK, launching the AWS Wavelength service for our business and wholesale...

20 March 2023 | 5G

Apple open-source code references ‘realityOS’

A reference to realityOS has been spotted in Apple’s open-source code.

RealityOS is the operating system that Apple is widely expected to use on its upcoming mixed-reality headset. However, it may end up being named xrOS (a reference to “extended reality”) when it reaches consumers’ faces.

This week, Apple posted various bits of code on GitHub with numerous references to realityOS:

https://twitter.com/aaronp613/status/1636096450097721344

Apple’s...

16 March 2023 | Consumer IoT & Wearables

Apple’s AR/VR headset plan causes internal divisions

Internal divisions are reportedly arising at Apple over its much-anticipated AR/VR headset.

Apple CEO Tim Cook and COO Jeff Williams are said to be pushing to launch the headset as soon as possible, even if its design isn’t optimal.

Designers at Apple are said to have disagreed with their leadership and want to wait until it's feasible to launch a product that is lighter and less expensive. Current price estimates for the headset are between $2,000 and...

13 March 2023 | Consumer IoT & Wearables

Quest Global and Nvidia partner for digital twins in manufacturing

Quest Global and Nvidia are teaming up to create digital twin solutions for the manufacturing and automotive industries on the latter’s Omniverse Enterprise platform.

Omniverse Enterprise is a scalable, end-to-end platform which enables enterprise organisations to build and operate metaverse applications. Teams can connect and customise complex 3D pipelines and operate large-scale, physically accurate virtual worlds, including entire premises such as factories.

Regular...

7 February 2023 | Digital Transformation

5G IoT connections to exceed 100M by 2026

The global number of 5G IoT connections is set to exceed 100 million by 2026.

A study by Juniper Research finds the number of connections will reach 116 million by 2026; increasing from 17 million in 2023.

The incredible 1,100 percent growth is set to be driven by smart city services and healthcare.

Olivia Williams, one of the researchers, commented:

“5G will enable more efficient and dynamic healthcare provision that was not feasible with 4G or...

24 January 2023 | 5G

Google is reportedly creating an AirTags competitor

Google appears to be working on its own tracker to compete with Apple’s AirTags.

Bluetooth-based trackers like Tile have been available for multiple platforms long before AirTags. As is often the case with Apple, the company took an existing idea and created a far better user experience.

Anyone who has used a Tile will be aware that finding items can often be problematic. Bluetooth doesn’t accurately report distance and connecting to a tracker is often difficult...

18 January 2023 | Applications

Trackpac will use Helium’s decentralised network

Asset tracking firm Trackpac has announced that it will use decentralised network Helium for connectivity.

Helium, which calls itself “The People’s Network”, is a rapidly-growing wireless network run by individuals around the world. By deploying a hotspot, individuals can provide connectivity for IoT and/or mobile devices and be rewarded with HNT tokens.

Trackpac enables assets to be tracked using a small tracker which can be attached to keys, bags, laptops, bags,...

12 January 2023 | Applications