How IoT Can Make Your Home and City Smarter

Today, it’s hard to say which ambition came first: smart cities/homes or the Internet of Things (IoT). In short, both suggest a vision of ubiquitous computing, first propelled by Mike Koniavsky. “Ubicomp” is the practice of incorporating information processing and network communication into everyday human environments for better communication and services. The term ‘IoT’ is, instead, attributed to Kevin Ashton, whose desire was to teach computers to ‘sense things’ and communicate them back in the 1990s. This Internet-based connectedness of daily-life objects is the reality of modern tech design and the premise of building a smart home or city that integrates physical, digital and human systems. This article explores how IoT can leverage the smartness of your home or city and considers the delicate repercussions this development has on our lives as users and citizens.

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Seamless IoT

The Seamless Accelerator is a coalition of world class enterprises providing new market opportunities to IoT startups located in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

OTHER ARTICLES
IoT Security

Hitachi, Infineon promote IoT tech for viral detection

Article | June 28, 2023

Tech companies are stepping up Internet of Things technologies to protect against COVID-19 and future viruses by using LiDAR and infrared cameras to detect a person’s body temperature from a distance or even handwashing. Keeping the data secure in such detection is also going to be a challenge. One approach is to put a chip inside an IoT device when it is manufactured to enable strong authentication and secure communication, mainly to guard against device counterfeiting. Hitachi Vantara has touted forward looking infrared cameras (FLIR) cameras to detect the temperature of a person from a distance. That way a passenger on a train or a worker or a customer in a store can be non-intrusively screened, according to a blog from Mark Jules, global vice president of smart spaces and video intelligence.

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Industrial IoT, IoT Security

Practical IoT Data Processing & Management for Businesses

Article | July 12, 2023

IoT has undeniably become the massive growth propellant for modern-day business. Enterprises employ intelligent systems to improve production in factories, and reduce costs, build industrial automation systems to replace human assignments, monitor and reduce energy; and develop autonomous transportation to enhance driver safety. Inside these embedded systems are sensors that rapidly transmit data that must be immediately captured, processed, and acted upon. Traditional embedded database solutions don't understand and meet the complex needs of IoT devices when it comes to processing and managing data. IoT edge database solutions that can understand the constant data stream from sensors enable devices to make crucial decisions in milliseconds. Real-time Edge Data Processing Enterprisers and business owners prefer scalable edge data management solutions to deploy hundreds of IoT devices so that each device can manage, collect, and analyze the massive amounts of data these IoT sensors produce without losing performance. These devices must capture and store critical information so that the IoT node can make independent decisions and trigger appropriate reactions. Database queries allow device apps to get the information they need to make intelligent decisions in real-time, quickly and without wasting time. To be successful in the IoT, you need the right data management software and the ability to quickly collect and connect device data rapidly to get low latency. IoT Data Processing and Management Standard data management solutions do not fully address the complexity of architecting software for IoT data processing. Despite being the primary data source, sensors are often constrained by their limitations and fail to provide sophisticated analysis. The focus of IoT data analysis and management is to harvest real-time information and make sense of it quickly. A good solution uses technologies that many developers are already familiar with, like SQL, to solve the new problem of analyzing IoT sensors directly on edge devices. Conclusion While building a device application, at every stage, developers must make tough calls to select the best data management and database software to launch their edge-centric IoT systems. Such costly decisions consume significant development and validation time as well. Using existing IoT data management platforms is a better way to deal with scaling, security, and the weight of data. Businesses can set up, connect, and grow their IoT infrastructure with these platforms. Organizations don't have to build their own IoT infrastructure from scratch. Instead, they can use IoT platforms that give them access to IoT devices, cloud infrastructure, and networks worldwide. Small and medium-sized businesses may find this method saves money.

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IoT Security

5 IoT Trends for Marketers to Watch in 2021

Article | July 17, 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic turned the tides towards remote work and virtual connectivity. And even though growth seemed to have slowed down in 2020, experts see double-digit growth in the next few years. The tides may be turning but virtual connectivity and the tools required for remote growth are not slowing down in demand. As the tech world adapts to new shifts, IoT is among one of the most anticipated technologies to prosper in 2021. Digital transformation has rapidly accelerated in the past year and if the experts are to be believed, 2021 shows promise for an even better year for technological advancement. According to IDC’s 2020-2024 forecast, spending will reach an annual growth rate of 11.3 percent. And with this, the number of connected devices is likely to grow up. Take a look at what will be the focus of IoT industry trends in 2021. Privacy & Security As smart homes are becoming the norm and you cannot throw a stone without hitting a smart device, one thing is clear—IoT devices are everywhere. People almost always forget smartphones when talking about IoT devices, but the fact is that smartphones are very much a part of the IoT ecosystem. And with the infusion of IoT in our everyday lives, questions about privacy and security are cropping up. Just recently, as WhatsApp announced its new privacy policy, millions of users planned to migrate to other alternatives. This led to WhatsApp pushing back its privacy update and tech businesses taking note of changing winds. In 2021, privacy and security will be at the forefront of IoT industry trends, as devices infuse further into the everyday lives of people. According to recent research, 90 percent of consumers lack confidence in IoT device security. And the onus of bolstering consumer confidence will be up to IoT businesses. Workforce Management According to Gartner’s “Top Strategic Technology Trends For 2021” report, IoT will be a large part of the office experience in 2021. As businesses are trying to avoid the losses that occurred in early 2020, workplaces are being geared up with RFID tags, sensors, and monitors to ensure social distancing measures, whether employees are wearing masks and overall health monitoring. Additionally, many organizations have decided to move permanently to a remote mode and will rely more on IoT devices for connectivity. So we can expect better automated scheduling and calendar tools, more interactive video conferencing, and virtual meeting technology. In the case of fieldwork, IoT will offer an added factor of monitoring behavior. Greener IoT Experts predict that energy will be a crucial factor in the IoT industry trends in 2021. With smart grids, metering, and restoration resilience being powered by IoT, 2021 will move towards optimized energy consumption and devices that are designed to encourage energy-friendly practices. What’s more? Smart engines and automobiles can be optimized to reduce their carbon footprint and become energy-friendly. As evidenced by the Paris summit and the wildfires in 2020, the world is becoming ecologically conscious. IoT devices in 2021 will focus heavily on reduced emissions, lowering air and ocean pollution, and minimizing power expenditure. Location Data As COVID-19 limited human interaction, location-based services soared during the pandemic. Businesses started leveraging location data to offer curbside pickup, virtual queues, and check-ins for reservations to enhance the customer experience during the pandemic. According to experts, the use of location data will continue to be crucial for customer service and convenience in 2021. As people prefer being safe even as the vaccines are being delivered, location data will allow businesses to cater to their customers without compromising on customer or employee safety. Digital twins IoT is being helmed as the perfect technology partner for creating digital twins in many industries. As IoT collects a large amount of data through physical devices, this data can be reinterpreted to create the perfect digital twins. Also, IoT can offer visibility into the full product life cycle and unfold deeper operational intelligence. Companies like Siemens are already leveraging technologies like AIoT to design and create digital twins for product design and production. Coupled with AI, IoT will be used more commonly for creating digital twins in 2021. A technology as dynamic as IoT can be leveraged for almost any application. Therefore, it may surprise us all in the way it progresses in 2021. However, experts believe that the above 5 IoT industry trends will rule 2021 for sure. Frequently Asked Questions What are the latest IoT industry trends? The use of IoT in Healthcare, Artificial Intelligence, workforce management, and ecological conservation can be deemed as some of the latest trends in IoT. What is the future scope of IoT? As experts believe there will be over 85 billion connected devices by the end of 2021, and the numbers are promising for upcoming years, we can safely say that the future of IoT is indeed bright. What industries are most likely to use the Internet of things technology? IoT is a dynamic technology with applications in almost every industry. However, industries like healthcare, construction, manufacturing, tech, and resource management are most like to use IoT right now. { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [{ "@type": "Question", "name": "What are the latest IoT industry trends?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "The use of IoT in Healthcare, Artificial Intelligence, workforce management, and ecological conservation can be deemed as some of the latest trends in IoT." } },{ "@type": "Question", "name": "What is the future scope of IoT?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "As experts believe there will be over 85 billion connected devices by the end of 2021, and the numbers are promising for upcoming years, we can safely say that the future of IoT is indeed bright." } },{ "@type": "Question", "name": "What industries are most likely to use the Internet of things technology?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "IoT is a dynamic technology with applications in almost every industry. However, industries like healthcare, construction, manufacturing, tech, and resource management are most like to use IoT right now." } }] }

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Enterprise Iot, Infrastructure

Importance of Big Data for IoT in Businesses

Article | May 31, 2023

Discover the crucial role of big data capabilities in unlocking the potential of IoT for businesses. This article covers their synergy, challenges, and value in decision-making and revenue generation. Contents 1 Why Big Data and IoT Matter for Businesses 2 Understanding Synergy of Big Data and IoT 2.1 How IoT generates Big Data 2.2 Challenges of Processing Big Data from IoT Devices 2.3 Importance of Big Data in IoT Applications 3 The Value of Big Data and IoT for Businesses 3.1 Improved Decision-making for Businesses 3.2 Generate New Revenue Streams 4 Final Thoughts 1. Why Big Data and IoT Matter for Businesses The internet of things (IoT) is connecting all types of physical assets to the internet, from smart wearables that track wearer’s vitals to connected industrial units that can report any malfunctions automatically. Big data in IoT is a natural outcome with the growth of IoT devices, with an immense surge in the amount of data being generated. There are currently over 13 billion connected IoT devices worldwide. (Source – Techjury) This data is extremely valuable to businesses as it can help streamline operations, predict trends, and diagnose device issues. Certain functions of IoT devices that are crucial for modern businesses, such as enabling predictive maintenance, depend on the analysis of the data generated every second. However, to maximize the ROI from their IoT ecosystem, businesses must first manage and process the vast amounts of unstructured data they produce. This is where big data capabilities come in. 2. Understanding Synergy of Big Data and IoT Big data and the IoT are fundamentally different concepts, but are closely connected. Big data is a term that is used for a great amount of data that is characterized by volume, velocity, variety and veracity (or the ‘trustworthiness’ of data). The IoT is a term for physical devices or objects linked to the internet using an assortment of technologies. Understanding the synergy between these two technologies will be critical for businesses looking to leverage their full potential. 2.1 How IoT generates Big Data IoT is one of the primary drivers of big data growth. The vast number of interconnected devices in the IoT ecosystem generates a massive amount of data every second. This data includes information on user behavior, device performance, and environmental conditions, among others. The nature of this data makes it challenging to store, process, and analyze using traditional data management tools. This is where big data technologies such as Hadoop, Spark, and NoSQL databases come in, providing the ability to manage massive amounts of data in near-real-time, enabling critical applications of big data in IoT. For businesses, processing IoT data is synonymous with processing big data, due to the nature of the data generated by an IoT ecosystem. 2.2 Challenges of Processing Big Data from IoT Devices IoT data processing is a complex and challenging task due to several reasons. Firstly, the sheer volume of data generated by these devices is enormous and is only increasing. This requires a robust infrastructure and specialized tools to store, manage, and analyze the data efficiently. This data is also generally unstructured, heterogeneous, and complex, making it difficult to process using traditional data management and analysis techniques. Moreover, it is often noisy and may contain errors or outliers, which can impact the accuracy of data analysis. Businesses also face a challenge when securing such vast amounts of data. Since IoT devices collect sensitive information such as personal and financial data at scale, it is critical to ensure that data is encrypted, transmitted securely, and stored safely. Additionally, IoT devices often operate in remote locations with limited connectivity, making it challenging to transmit data to the cloud for storage and analysis. As IoT devices continue to proliferate and generate increasingly large amounts of data, businesses must adopt big data technologies to gain actionable insights from this data. 2.3 Importance of Big Data in IoT Applications There are several use cases of the IoT where processing large amounts of data is essential. It plays a critical role in IoT applications, providing businesses with valuable insights that can be used to optimize processes, reduce costs, and improve overall efficiency. By collecting and analyzing large amounts of data from IoT devices, businesses can gain a better understanding of customer behavior, machine performance, and other critical metrics. For example, big data in IoT can be used to identify patterns in customer behavior, allowing businesses to tailor their marketing efforts and improve customer engagement. Additionally, IoT devices can be used to collect data on machine performance, allowing businesses to identify potential problems before they occur, minimize downtime, and optimize maintenance schedules. The value of big data in IoT applications lies in its ability to provide businesses with real-time insights that can be used to drive growth, reduce costs, and improve overall efficiency. 3. The Value of Big Data and IoT for Businesses Businesses looking to integrate big data in IoT must first consider their data storage and analytics capabilities. By understanding the value of big data technology in capturing and analyzing IoT-generated data, businesses can unlock insights that can help them make better decisions, optimize processes, and create new business opportunities. 3.1 Improved Decision-making for Businesses IoT and big data technologies offer businesses a wealth of data that can be used to make better-informed decisions. By integrating IoT sensors and devices with their operations, businesses can collect real-time data on customer behavior, operational performance, and market trends. This data can then be analyzed using big data analytics tools to generate valuable insights that can inform decision-making. For example, operational data can be analyzed to identify inefficiencies and areas for optimization, helping businesses reduce costs and improve efficiency. With the right data storage and analytics capabilities, businesses can leverage the power of IoT and big data to gain a competitive advantage and make better-informed decisions that drive growth and success. 3.2 Generate New Revenue Streams By leveraging the vast amount of data generated by IoT devices and analyzing it with big data analytics tools, businesses can gain insights into customer behavior, market trends, and operational performance. These insights can be used to create new revenue streams and business models, such as subscription-based services, pay-per-use models, and predictive maintenance services. For example, IoT sensors can be used to collect data on equipment performance, allowing businesses to offer predictive maintenance services that help prevent equipment breakdowns and reduce downtime. Similarly, customer data can be analyzed to identify new revenue opportunities, such as personalized product recommendations and targeted advertising. With the right strategy and investment in IoT and big data technologies, businesses can unlock new revenue streams and create innovative business models that drive growth and success. 4. Final Thoughts Big data in IoT is becoming increasingly important for businesses, and the future prospects are bright. As IoT continues to grow and generate more data, businesses that can effectively analyze it will gain a competitive advantage, leading to increased efficiency, reduced costs, and higher ROI. To fully realize the benefits of IoT, businesses must develop big data analytics and IoT devices in tandem, creating a feedback loop that drives continuous improvement and growth. By embracing these technologies, businesses can make data-driven decisions and unlock new insights that will help them thrive in the years ahead.

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The Seamless Accelerator is a coalition of world class enterprises providing new market opportunities to IoT startups located in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

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Enterprise Iot

UL Solutions Announces the Smart Systems Rating Program's First Verified Platinum Rating for the SIBCA Connect Platform

PR Newswire | October 16, 2023

UL Solutions, a global leader in applied safety science, today announced it issued the first Smart System Verified Platinum rating for the SIBCA Connect: Internet of Things (IoT) Platform. SIBCA is a provider of fire, life safety, and information and communication technology (ICT) solutions. "With our Smart Systems Rating Program, UL Solutions is helping the industry navigate the growing complexity of smart building systems and solidify the definition of a smart product based on features and best practices," said Sudhi Sinha, vice president of Ecosystems and Service Development at UL Solutions. "UL Solutions is pleased to announce that SIBCA has earned the Smart System Verified Platinum rating for their SIBCA Connect IoT Platform. Our Smart Systems Rating, a UL Marketing Claim Verification, helps our customers deliver confidence and peace of mind to buyers and consumers during their decision-making process, which helps them elevate their brand above competitors that self-declare their claims." UL Solutions evaluated the SIBCA Connect platform using UL MCV 1587, Methodology for Marketing Claim Verification: Smart System Verified to level Silver/Gold/Platinum/Diamond. This assessment — along with evidence from SIBCA — enabled UL Solutions to verify SIBCA's marketing claim about its product. UL Solutions Smart Systems Rating Program enabled us to demonstrate the level of our SIBCA Connect IoT Platform's smart system claim and differentiate our solution in a competitive and challenging market. We are honored to achieve the first Smart System Verified Platinum rating for our SIBCA Connect platform and be part of this industry-first program, said Ibrahim Lari, chairman and CEO of SIBCA. UL Solutions evaluates building systems and products according to the Smart System Rating Program across six categories: connectivity and interoperability, control and automation, digital experience, functional value, resiliency and cybersecurity. This assessment is performed based on the specifications published in UL MCV 1587. Each category has different areas of examination reflected in sub-categories, and the examination utilizes science-based methodology against these criteria and the published specification.

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Enterprise Iot, Infrastructure

Tuya Smart Presents Latest Advances of Its Solutions for Matter at Connectivity Standards Alliance Membership Meeting

prnewswire | June 23, 2023

Tuya Smart (NYSE: TUYA, HKEX: 2391), a global IoT development platform service provider, attended the membership meeting hosted by the Connectivity Standards Alliance (hereinafter called the Alliance). As a board member of the Alliance and early participant in Matter, Tuya demonstrated the new achievements of its Solutions for Matter for global developers. With extensive categories of hardware solutions, Tuya enables customers to build core competitiveness of Matter devices As the smart home industry continues to grow, more and more brand and channel customers are looking to create Matter devices. To add new Matter devices to existing product categories and create additional features, customers need to make investments. Due to issues such as higher development costs and functions that are alike across device categories, it is challenging for them to enter the market rapidly and establish their own competitive strengths. Thus, Tuya keeps growing its hardware solutions for Matter and offers customized features that customers can add on. Tuya has obtained official certification for over 100 devices across four major categories: electricity, lighting, gateway, and sensors. The last category includes the most recent certified motion sensors and contact sensors, and its launched hardware solutions cover many smart home categories, such as light bulbs, strip lights, switches, gateways, plug-ins, and sensors. In addition, the Tuya-enabled sample Matter curtain motor will soon start its official certification lab testing phase. Along with the expanding Matter smart home product portfolio, Tuya will also introduce equivalent hardware solutions for smoke sensors, thermostats, and more by collaborating with global developers. In terms of development capabilities, the powerful Tuya IoT Development Platform can assist developers in achieving independent and controllable Matter device development, giving customers more individualized options, including color temperature control for lighting products, scene mode settings, music, timing, and many other functions for various devices. This is based on Tuya's market expertise and core technical capabilities. By giving end-users a better experience, Tuya will assist customers in building up their competitive strengths as well as increasing their brand value and market influence. With one-stop access to official Matter device certification, Tuya helps customers quickly seize market opportunities Customers who develop Matter devices must frequently go through a lengthy certification process before their products are suitable for mass production and the market. Tuya can simplify the certification procedure. As the Alliance's highest-level member, Tuya possesses several qualifications, including Matter product compliance certificate transfer, similarity certification, and new certification, among others. As a result, all products created using Tuya's Solutions for Matter can be certified quickly and affordably through Tuya's certificate transfer, significantly reducing the time required for certification. MOMAX SMART, a leading AloT and consumer electronics brand, recently developed the Matter Gateway and Matter LED through Tuya's Solutions for Matter, and obtained the Alliance's Matter certification. "We are so excited to announce our first Matter gateway and Matter LED will be launched this month. The entire process of development and certification was convenient and smooth. We received certification within thirteen business days, considerably enhancing our business progress. Our Innovation Center's experience of working with Tuya's expertise and full process service capabilities was remarkable, and the entire process provided tremendous value for the overseas business. Our Smart IoT Team can't wait to create more Matter products in the future, to embrace the change with Tuya, and expand Matter's penetration in the smart home industry," said John Cheng, CEO of MOMAX SMART. Numerous customers have embraced Tuya's robust one-stop solutions for developing, testing, and certifying Matter devices. Customers choose Tuya not just for its core strengths in IoT technology, but also for its intense focus on customer needs, as well as Tuya's active collaboration with other ecosystem partners to support customers' Matter devices in achieving cross-protocol and cross-ecosystem integration and development, and solving customers' challenges like integration into the Matter ecosystem for current product categories. Smart home ecosystems converge, and Tuya enables customers to easily realize cross-protocol, cross-ecosystem interconnection As an early participant and promoter of Matter, Tuya has worked closely with Amazon, Apple and Google to build cross-protocol and cross-ecosystem device interconnection, allowing customers to manage their devices and mainstream ecosystem devices through one interface. This has opened up a path of interconnection for customers. First of all, Tuya has introduced an exclusive gateway development framework that supports Matter bridging, in response to customer concerns that non-Matter devices cannot be incorporated into the Matter ecosystem. This means that gateways created by customers via the Tuya IoT Development Platform can convert non-Matter devices into Matter-enabled devices to achieve cross-protocol compatibility. Secondly, Matter products created by customers can easily integrate with well-known smart home ecosystems. They can quickly become compatible with Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home, and other mainstream ecosystems. In contrast, end-users can manage and integrate scenes between Matter devices and mainstream smart home devices throughout the entire house using the Tuya-enabled App, as well as realizing multi-mode management via smart speakers, and enjoying richer scene linkage settings and more convenient unified device management. It is worth mentioning that Matter-certified devices developed by customers through Tuya can apply for the product certification tags of two mainstream ecosystems, which are WA (Works with Alexa) and WWGH (Works with Google Home). Through Tuya's express channel, customers can obtain mainstream ecosystem endorsement and enhance their brand recognition and market influence. Finally, Tuya is strengthening its relationship with ecosystem partners in order to advance the application of Matter in various spheres. In response to Amazon's introduction of Matter Simple Setup (MSS), Tuya has just recently launched its solutions for MSS. These solutions allow customers to enable end-users to automatically identify Matter devices via Amazon Echo speakers alone, without the need for an App or scanning codes. Tuya has officially finished MSS testing for Tuya-enabled Wi-Fi devices. Customers are further enabled by Tuya in accordance with the most recent Commissionable Endpoint functionality from Amazon. After adding the device, end-users can use the Tuya-enabled App to immediately synchronize Matter devices to their local region using cloud-cloud synchronization. Thus, end-users can use Amazon Echo speakers to achieve local control of Matter devices even when there is no network connection. Tuya Smart promotes global win-win cooperation to enhance customers' product power and brand value In order to give customers a more effective and convenient Matter development and certification process, as well as to assist customers in optimizing the device interaction experience for end-users and enjoying the limitless smart home scenes brought by Matter, Tuya Smart is actively promoting the comprehensive upgrade of Tuya's Solutions for Matter 1.1. "Our mission to design and develop standards, facilitate market-leading testing and certification processes enables companies and consumers to leverage Matter's seamless compatibility for smart products," said Tobin Richardson, President and CEO of the Connectivity Standards Alliance. "As a board member and promoter, Tuya collaborates with us in technical aspects and market applications, helping to shape a market benefiting both product manufacturers and billions of consumers worldwide. We invite others to join forces with Tuya and our Alliance as we build a secure, interoperable, and user-friendly IoT ecosystem that delivers value to everyone." Following this Membership Meeting, a number of renowned exhibitions and conferences will feature Tuya's Solutions for Matter in further detail. Tuya stays committed to enhancing the technical foundation, improving the capabilities of the development platform, optimizing the entire one-stop development process, embracing change with an open and neutral ecosystem, working with brands, channels, ecosystem partners, etc. to continue to expand the global application of Matter, exploring the new development potential of the smart home industry, and working together with partners to build the future of IoT. AboutTuya Smart Tuya Smart (NYSE: TUYA) is a leading technology company focused on making our lives smarter. Tuya does this through offering a cloud platform that connects a range of devices via the IoT. By building interconnectivity standards, Tuya bridges the intelligent needs of brands, OEMs, developers, and retail chains across a broad range of smart devices and industries. Tuya solutions empower partners and customers by improving the value of their products while making consumers’ lives more convenient through the application of technology. Through its growing commercial SaaS business, Tuya offers intelligent business solutions for a wide range of verticals. The Company’s platform is backed by industry-leading technology complete with rigorous data protection and security. Tuya partners with leading Fortune 500 companies from around the world to make things smarter, including Philips, Schneider Electric, Lenovo and many others.

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Enterprise Iot, Infrastructure

Quext IoT Expands IP Protection with Five New Patents

Quext | February 17, 2023

On February 16, 2023, Quext, one of the most innovative providers of smart technology solutions for the multifamily industry, announced recently that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has awarded five new patents protecting its IoT solution. The new patents bolster the company's patent portfolio and recognize the innovation and originality of Quext IoT's smart home solution. Quext holds three patents pertaining to its Quext IoT solution. Quext and iApartments are currently involved in patent infringement litigation, with Quext alleging that the Tampa, Florida-based company infringes on the original patents. iApartments contests the validity of Quext's patents on the basis of alleged 'prior art.' Quext also filed an action with the International Trade Commission (ITC) against iApartments to prevent the importation of its white-labeled smart hubs. The USPTO considered all of iApartments' alleged prior art when granting Quext five new patents and determined that Quext's inventive concepts are novel. Consequently, the new patents strengthen the company's patent portfolio and reaffirm the innovative nature of Quext IoT's solution. Quext utilized one of the new patents recently in a new lawsuit filed in Florida's Middle District against iApartments. As operators themselves, the company designed its solution with operational efficiencies in mind, addressing pain points by remote lock credentialing, extending lock battery life, and reducing onsite hardware to lower maintenance calls, cost, and disruption. Quext IoT's patented solution has proven to be a thoughtful approach to smart apartment technology in multiple ways. Due to its distinctive network architecture, it is an optimal solution for both new construction and existing property retrofits of all classes. About Quext Quext is a smart technology and services enterprise that pioneers exciting innovations that make intelligent decision-making remarkably easy. It reimagined apartment technology with products that work together seamlessly to deliver the most intuitive, user-friendly, all-in-one, cloud-based apartment community hub ever made available. Internet of Things, broadband internet, digital human customer support, and fintech innovations are its fundamental platform innovations. The company, headquartered in Lubbock, Texas, was named the Fierce Wireless IoT Challenge winner in 2020.

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Enterprise Iot

UL Solutions Announces the Smart Systems Rating Program's First Verified Platinum Rating for the SIBCA Connect Platform

PR Newswire | October 16, 2023

UL Solutions, a global leader in applied safety science, today announced it issued the first Smart System Verified Platinum rating for the SIBCA Connect: Internet of Things (IoT) Platform. SIBCA is a provider of fire, life safety, and information and communication technology (ICT) solutions. "With our Smart Systems Rating Program, UL Solutions is helping the industry navigate the growing complexity of smart building systems and solidify the definition of a smart product based on features and best practices," said Sudhi Sinha, vice president of Ecosystems and Service Development at UL Solutions. "UL Solutions is pleased to announce that SIBCA has earned the Smart System Verified Platinum rating for their SIBCA Connect IoT Platform. Our Smart Systems Rating, a UL Marketing Claim Verification, helps our customers deliver confidence and peace of mind to buyers and consumers during their decision-making process, which helps them elevate their brand above competitors that self-declare their claims." UL Solutions evaluated the SIBCA Connect platform using UL MCV 1587, Methodology for Marketing Claim Verification: Smart System Verified to level Silver/Gold/Platinum/Diamond. This assessment — along with evidence from SIBCA — enabled UL Solutions to verify SIBCA's marketing claim about its product. UL Solutions Smart Systems Rating Program enabled us to demonstrate the level of our SIBCA Connect IoT Platform's smart system claim and differentiate our solution in a competitive and challenging market. We are honored to achieve the first Smart System Verified Platinum rating for our SIBCA Connect platform and be part of this industry-first program, said Ibrahim Lari, chairman and CEO of SIBCA. UL Solutions evaluates building systems and products according to the Smart System Rating Program across six categories: connectivity and interoperability, control and automation, digital experience, functional value, resiliency and cybersecurity. This assessment is performed based on the specifications published in UL MCV 1587. Each category has different areas of examination reflected in sub-categories, and the examination utilizes science-based methodology against these criteria and the published specification.

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Enterprise Iot, Infrastructure

Tuya Smart Presents Latest Advances of Its Solutions for Matter at Connectivity Standards Alliance Membership Meeting

prnewswire | June 23, 2023

Tuya Smart (NYSE: TUYA, HKEX: 2391), a global IoT development platform service provider, attended the membership meeting hosted by the Connectivity Standards Alliance (hereinafter called the Alliance). As a board member of the Alliance and early participant in Matter, Tuya demonstrated the new achievements of its Solutions for Matter for global developers. With extensive categories of hardware solutions, Tuya enables customers to build core competitiveness of Matter devices As the smart home industry continues to grow, more and more brand and channel customers are looking to create Matter devices. To add new Matter devices to existing product categories and create additional features, customers need to make investments. Due to issues such as higher development costs and functions that are alike across device categories, it is challenging for them to enter the market rapidly and establish their own competitive strengths. Thus, Tuya keeps growing its hardware solutions for Matter and offers customized features that customers can add on. Tuya has obtained official certification for over 100 devices across four major categories: electricity, lighting, gateway, and sensors. The last category includes the most recent certified motion sensors and contact sensors, and its launched hardware solutions cover many smart home categories, such as light bulbs, strip lights, switches, gateways, plug-ins, and sensors. In addition, the Tuya-enabled sample Matter curtain motor will soon start its official certification lab testing phase. Along with the expanding Matter smart home product portfolio, Tuya will also introduce equivalent hardware solutions for smoke sensors, thermostats, and more by collaborating with global developers. In terms of development capabilities, the powerful Tuya IoT Development Platform can assist developers in achieving independent and controllable Matter device development, giving customers more individualized options, including color temperature control for lighting products, scene mode settings, music, timing, and many other functions for various devices. This is based on Tuya's market expertise and core technical capabilities. By giving end-users a better experience, Tuya will assist customers in building up their competitive strengths as well as increasing their brand value and market influence. With one-stop access to official Matter device certification, Tuya helps customers quickly seize market opportunities Customers who develop Matter devices must frequently go through a lengthy certification process before their products are suitable for mass production and the market. Tuya can simplify the certification procedure. As the Alliance's highest-level member, Tuya possesses several qualifications, including Matter product compliance certificate transfer, similarity certification, and new certification, among others. As a result, all products created using Tuya's Solutions for Matter can be certified quickly and affordably through Tuya's certificate transfer, significantly reducing the time required for certification. MOMAX SMART, a leading AloT and consumer electronics brand, recently developed the Matter Gateway and Matter LED through Tuya's Solutions for Matter, and obtained the Alliance's Matter certification. "We are so excited to announce our first Matter gateway and Matter LED will be launched this month. The entire process of development and certification was convenient and smooth. We received certification within thirteen business days, considerably enhancing our business progress. Our Innovation Center's experience of working with Tuya's expertise and full process service capabilities was remarkable, and the entire process provided tremendous value for the overseas business. Our Smart IoT Team can't wait to create more Matter products in the future, to embrace the change with Tuya, and expand Matter's penetration in the smart home industry," said John Cheng, CEO of MOMAX SMART. Numerous customers have embraced Tuya's robust one-stop solutions for developing, testing, and certifying Matter devices. Customers choose Tuya not just for its core strengths in IoT technology, but also for its intense focus on customer needs, as well as Tuya's active collaboration with other ecosystem partners to support customers' Matter devices in achieving cross-protocol and cross-ecosystem integration and development, and solving customers' challenges like integration into the Matter ecosystem for current product categories. Smart home ecosystems converge, and Tuya enables customers to easily realize cross-protocol, cross-ecosystem interconnection As an early participant and promoter of Matter, Tuya has worked closely with Amazon, Apple and Google to build cross-protocol and cross-ecosystem device interconnection, allowing customers to manage their devices and mainstream ecosystem devices through one interface. This has opened up a path of interconnection for customers. First of all, Tuya has introduced an exclusive gateway development framework that supports Matter bridging, in response to customer concerns that non-Matter devices cannot be incorporated into the Matter ecosystem. This means that gateways created by customers via the Tuya IoT Development Platform can convert non-Matter devices into Matter-enabled devices to achieve cross-protocol compatibility. Secondly, Matter products created by customers can easily integrate with well-known smart home ecosystems. They can quickly become compatible with Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home, and other mainstream ecosystems. In contrast, end-users can manage and integrate scenes between Matter devices and mainstream smart home devices throughout the entire house using the Tuya-enabled App, as well as realizing multi-mode management via smart speakers, and enjoying richer scene linkage settings and more convenient unified device management. It is worth mentioning that Matter-certified devices developed by customers through Tuya can apply for the product certification tags of two mainstream ecosystems, which are WA (Works with Alexa) and WWGH (Works with Google Home). Through Tuya's express channel, customers can obtain mainstream ecosystem endorsement and enhance their brand recognition and market influence. Finally, Tuya is strengthening its relationship with ecosystem partners in order to advance the application of Matter in various spheres. In response to Amazon's introduction of Matter Simple Setup (MSS), Tuya has just recently launched its solutions for MSS. These solutions allow customers to enable end-users to automatically identify Matter devices via Amazon Echo speakers alone, without the need for an App or scanning codes. Tuya has officially finished MSS testing for Tuya-enabled Wi-Fi devices. Customers are further enabled by Tuya in accordance with the most recent Commissionable Endpoint functionality from Amazon. After adding the device, end-users can use the Tuya-enabled App to immediately synchronize Matter devices to their local region using cloud-cloud synchronization. Thus, end-users can use Amazon Echo speakers to achieve local control of Matter devices even when there is no network connection. Tuya Smart promotes global win-win cooperation to enhance customers' product power and brand value In order to give customers a more effective and convenient Matter development and certification process, as well as to assist customers in optimizing the device interaction experience for end-users and enjoying the limitless smart home scenes brought by Matter, Tuya Smart is actively promoting the comprehensive upgrade of Tuya's Solutions for Matter 1.1. "Our mission to design and develop standards, facilitate market-leading testing and certification processes enables companies and consumers to leverage Matter's seamless compatibility for smart products," said Tobin Richardson, President and CEO of the Connectivity Standards Alliance. "As a board member and promoter, Tuya collaborates with us in technical aspects and market applications, helping to shape a market benefiting both product manufacturers and billions of consumers worldwide. We invite others to join forces with Tuya and our Alliance as we build a secure, interoperable, and user-friendly IoT ecosystem that delivers value to everyone." Following this Membership Meeting, a number of renowned exhibitions and conferences will feature Tuya's Solutions for Matter in further detail. Tuya stays committed to enhancing the technical foundation, improving the capabilities of the development platform, optimizing the entire one-stop development process, embracing change with an open and neutral ecosystem, working with brands, channels, ecosystem partners, etc. to continue to expand the global application of Matter, exploring the new development potential of the smart home industry, and working together with partners to build the future of IoT. AboutTuya Smart Tuya Smart (NYSE: TUYA) is a leading technology company focused on making our lives smarter. Tuya does this through offering a cloud platform that connects a range of devices via the IoT. By building interconnectivity standards, Tuya bridges the intelligent needs of brands, OEMs, developers, and retail chains across a broad range of smart devices and industries. Tuya solutions empower partners and customers by improving the value of their products while making consumers’ lives more convenient through the application of technology. Through its growing commercial SaaS business, Tuya offers intelligent business solutions for a wide range of verticals. The Company’s platform is backed by industry-leading technology complete with rigorous data protection and security. Tuya partners with leading Fortune 500 companies from around the world to make things smarter, including Philips, Schneider Electric, Lenovo and many others.

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Enterprise Iot, Infrastructure

Quext IoT Expands IP Protection with Five New Patents

Quext | February 17, 2023

On February 16, 2023, Quext, one of the most innovative providers of smart technology solutions for the multifamily industry, announced recently that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has awarded five new patents protecting its IoT solution. The new patents bolster the company's patent portfolio and recognize the innovation and originality of Quext IoT's smart home solution. Quext holds three patents pertaining to its Quext IoT solution. Quext and iApartments are currently involved in patent infringement litigation, with Quext alleging that the Tampa, Florida-based company infringes on the original patents. iApartments contests the validity of Quext's patents on the basis of alleged 'prior art.' Quext also filed an action with the International Trade Commission (ITC) against iApartments to prevent the importation of its white-labeled smart hubs. The USPTO considered all of iApartments' alleged prior art when granting Quext five new patents and determined that Quext's inventive concepts are novel. Consequently, the new patents strengthen the company's patent portfolio and reaffirm the innovative nature of Quext IoT's solution. Quext utilized one of the new patents recently in a new lawsuit filed in Florida's Middle District against iApartments. As operators themselves, the company designed its solution with operational efficiencies in mind, addressing pain points by remote lock credentialing, extending lock battery life, and reducing onsite hardware to lower maintenance calls, cost, and disruption. Quext IoT's patented solution has proven to be a thoughtful approach to smart apartment technology in multiple ways. Due to its distinctive network architecture, it is an optimal solution for both new construction and existing property retrofits of all classes. About Quext Quext is a smart technology and services enterprise that pioneers exciting innovations that make intelligent decision-making remarkably easy. It reimagined apartment technology with products that work together seamlessly to deliver the most intuitive, user-friendly, all-in-one, cloud-based apartment community hub ever made available. Internet of Things, broadband internet, digital human customer support, and fintech innovations are its fundamental platform innovations. The company, headquartered in Lubbock, Texas, was named the Fierce Wireless IoT Challenge winner in 2020.

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