EIT Smart together with Primo Principio for a 4.0 viticulture
Primo Principio, leader in innovative agronomy.
Primo Principio is an Italian company founded 10 years ago, specialized in industrial research and development of advanced technological solutions. The company excels in software development, data analysis and predictive modelling, with a particular focus on agronomy, plant phytopathology and the simulation of complex biological phenomena.
The company has developed a Decision Support System (DSS) for the agricultural market and WiForAgri, an application platform proposed as Software as a Service (SaaS) for the monitoring, defence and advanced management of crops, which collects data from the field thanks to innovative IoT sensors that communicate on LPWA networks. The company boasts prestigious collaborations with regional agencies for agricultural development in Sardinia, Friuli Venezia-Giulia and Lazio, offering services and consultancy to producer associations, agronomic studies and agricultural companies of different sizes.
Primo Principio‘s presence also extends beyond national borders, in Slovenia and Greece, with participation in innovation projects at regional, national and European level.
The company’s strength lies in its multidisciplinary team, which integrates engineering, software development and data analysis skills with expertise in agronomy, biology and bioinformatics.
The Lenardon farm: traditions of excellence and Technologies 4.0 in Viticulture
Since 1929, the Lenardon family has passionately dedicated itself to the production of extra virgin olive oil and wines from native vines, carrying on a tradition of excellence through generations.
However, the path over the years has not been without obstacles: the company had to overcome several challenges, including a devastating frost that destroyed a large part of the vines and the post-war duty to transport the olives for pressing from Muggia, in the province of Trieste, to Bassano del Grappa, due to the redefinition of territorial borders.
Viticulture, the main activity of the Lenardon company, requires a lot of preparation, dedication and a personalized approach for each of the vine varieties. In this context, the protection of vines from various diseases assumes fundamental importance. To respond to this need and guarantee a high quality production while respecting sustainability, the company has decided to innovate, implementing the technological solutions proposed by Primo Principio.
This cutting-edge system, which integrates IoT sensors and data analysis software, allows precise monitoring of environmental and cultivation conditions, offering precise data on the presence and infectious potential of pathogens such as downy mildew and powdery mildew.
The availability of this information allows the adoption of a predictive approach which allows the Lenardon company to act in a targeted and effective manner with preventive and protective interventions, reducing the use of plant protection products. This allows us to improve the effectiveness of crops, especially if “organic”, and to optimize the management of resources and intervention times, while safeguarding the quality and yield of the crops.
The advantages of the new technological approach 4.0
Limits the number of phytosanitary treatments, intervening only in cases of actual necessity;
Enhances the effectiveness of cultivation methods in "organic agriculture";
Optimizes the use of resources (mainly irrigation water) and intervention processes;
Guarantees the high quality of the final products, sublimating the organoleptic characteristics of the crops.
The benefits derived from using WiForAgri
The implementation of WiForAgri has allowed the Lenardon company to improve production, monitoring crops and optimizing phytosanitary risk management. The use of prediction tools, based on the collection of data from IoT sensors “in the field”, has in fact allowed targeted protection of the vines, reducing the use of chemical treatments and preserving the biodiversity of the surrounding environment.
Thanks to the accurate collection of environmental data such as rain, leaf wetness, humidity and temperature via IoT sensors, together with crop and phenological data, and a specific analysis of the same, the application software is able to calculate risk indices of pathogen attack, supporting the adoption of a predictive approach that allows you to act in a targeted manner at the most appropriate time with the most effective treatment. This reduces the use of plant protection products, limiting their use to only when strictly necessary; the environmental impact of the treatments is therefore reduced, increasing the effectiveness and yield of crops, especially if organic, and the management of water resources is optimised.
The implementation of WiForAgri by Primo Principio marked a significant turning point for the Lenardon company in crop monitoring and phytosanitary risk management. This was possible thanks to self-powered IoT sensors that communicate data via latest generation LPWA wireless communication protocols with low energy consumption (0G Sigfox and LoRaWan), which guarantee a battery life of at least 2 years.
In this case the IoT monitoring solution uses the Sigfox 0G communication network, which offers considerable advantages:
- Long life of the sensor batteries;
- Signal coverage even in remote areas sometimes not covered by cellular technology;
- Safe, reliable and redundant data transmission.
The adoption of 4.0 technologies has demonstrated how innovation can integrate with tradition, allowing agricultural companies to face the challenges of climate change and sustainability. The Lenardon case represents a real example of how the IoT can transform viticulture, keeping intact the passion and quality that have always distinguished large agricultural companies.
Primo Principio and EIT Smart
Primo Principio has chosen EIT Smart as a strategic partner for data transport on the LPWA network (0G Sigfox), recognizing this technology as a fundamental added value for its WiForAgri system. The robustness of the network infrastructure, the territorial coverage combined with specialized technical support have made EIT Smart the right partner to develop innovative IoT solutions in the field of precision agriculture. From the partnership between the two companies a reliable and sustainable technological ecosystem was born, which effectively responds to the needs of excellent agricultural companies, as demonstrated by the success of the Lenardon case.
Studio Croci & Associati, SPC Engineering and EIT Smart together for monitoring the Monastery of the Church of the Virgin in Gelati in Kutaisi – Georgia
Studio Croci & Associati and SPC Engineering
Studio Croci & Associati was founded in 2004 thanks to a group of highly esteemed and experienced engineers and architects who over the years have achieved a position of excellence in various fields, particularly in the restoration and consolidation of historic buildings, protected monuments and pieces of art, using innovative and latest-generation composite materials.
The studio’s activity extends from traditional structural and architectural design to the creation of static and dynamic monitoring systems, which allow the control of multiple structural aspects: from lesions to foundation subsidence, from the inclination of structures to vibrations, including simulations of seismic events.
In these specialized activities, Studio Croci collaborates with SPC Engineering. Founded in 1985, SPC Engineering obtained in 2007 the quality certification in structural design, consolidation of historic buildings, construction management, safety coordination, on-site investigations and laboratory tests on materials. In March 2022, it obtained authorization from the Higher Council of Public Works to carry out tests on existing buildings as an authorized laboratory.
Among the most significant works of Studio Croci and SPC Engineering, we mention in Italy, in Rome, the Trajan’s Markets, the Domus Tiberiana, the Villa Borghese, the Cryptoporticus, the Farnese Gardens. Furthermore, they were charged with the dismantling, transport and reassembly of the Stele of Axum (Ethiopia) and they were responsible for monitoring other archaeological sites abroad, in Zimbabwe, the Great Mosque and the Hospital of Divrigi in Turkey, the project for the Basilica of the Holy Monastery in Sinai and the Pyramid of Chefren, both in Egypt. They also carried out monitoring interventions in Petra (Jordan) and Angkor Wat (Cambodia).
The Monastery of the Church of the Virgin in Gelati in Kutaisi – Georgia.
The Gelati Monastery of the Church of the Virgin is located near Kutaisi, Georgia, and is one of the most precious treasures of Georgian cultural and religious heritage. The building, founded in 1106 by order of King David IV the Builder, is considered a true masterpiece of medieval Georgian architecture. The monastery complex is distinguished by the extraordinary richness of its decorative elements: majestic frescoes, mosaics and richly decorated walls show the artistic refinement of the era. For centuries, Gelati was not only a spiritual center, but also home to one of the most prestigious medieval academies. Its exceptional historical and artistic value led to the monastery being included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1994.
The deterioration of the Gelati Monastery and the monitoring system installed
In the past years, the complex has shown signs of deterioration. The structure has begun to show structural deformations, while humidity problems have compromised both the walls and the frescoes, threatening the architectural integrity of the building and the preservation of its artistic heritage.
To deal with this critical situation, Studio Croci & Associati, in collaboration with a local partner (VIstudio), was designated to install a structural monitoring system. The intervention involved the installation of a network of sensors capable of accurately detecting and recording three fundamental parameters: structural movements, temperature and environmental humidity levels. This integrated system allows for continuous and extensive assessment of the building’s conditions, providing essential data to evaluate the state of conservation of the structure over time.
The monitoring system consists of:
- 2 displacement transducers to control the opening/closing of the fissures;
- 4 wire displacement meters to control the opening/closing of the fissures;
- 6 sensors to measure the internal and external environmental temperature;
- 3 data loggers;
- 1 LPWA Sigfox/EIT Smart micr BS for data transfer, powered by small 15×15 cm solar panels;
- a software for data visualization and storage on a web server platform.
Studio Croci & Associati implemented an advanced structural monitoring system based on an autonomous datalogger, designed to operate in a fully automated way. This device acquires and records data according to a predefined schedule, saving them locally on an SD card, until they are transferred to the user system via the Sigfox network. The datalogger transmits the data via the 0G Sigfox protocol to the LPWA modem, which is connected to the network via a local SIM. The acquired data is also stored in the cloud, ensuring a double security in the information storage.
The system is really flexible thanks to its ability to interface with a wide range of sensors, adapting to different types of analog signals and conductor configurations. A particularly significant aspect is the ability of the software to automatically convert electrical measurements (Volts, Amperes, Ohms) into the corresponding physical units such as temperature, force, deformation and rotation, making the data immediately understandable in their application.
Through a dedicated web portal, it is possible to constantly visualize the evolution of the fissures and the humidity levels present in the church. The recent implementation of artificial intelligence has brought a significant improvement in data analysis, generating graphs and interpretations that are easily understandable even for less experienced users.
A key feature of the system is the ability to set custom alert thresholds for each monitored parameter. When these values are exceeded, the system automatically sends notifications via email or Telegram, allowing for a timely response to potential critical situations.
The benefits of choosing EIT Smart and the 0G Sigfox network
The installed system that transfers data via the 0G Sigfox network offers significant advantages in terms of operational efficiency and cost-effectiveness:
The location of the wireless control units close to the sensors eliminates the need for complex wiring, drastically reducing installation and maintenance costs.
The network architecture guarantees high performance, maintaining flexibility and scalability for future expansions of the monitoring system.
Energy efficiency is a key strength: low energy consumption ensures a long life of the sensor batteries, while the power supply of the 0G Sigfox modem is guaranteed indefinitely thanks to three solar panels that provide continuous charging.
The choice of EIT Smart, exclusive dealer in Italy of 0G Sigfox technology, as a technological partner was determined by the flexibility and availability of the company in providing customized solutions to the specific needs of the project and performing in every condition and situation.
The combination of all these elements ensures a reliable, economical and sustainable monitoring system in the long term.
Sigfox South Africa to secure the country, together with Fidelity ADT and Amber IoT
Fidelity ADT and Amber IoT installed more than 300,000 communicating jamming-resistant IoT alarm communicators on Sigfox South Africa’s 0G network
The challenge
Faced with rising connectivity costs and the increasing use of jamming devices, Fidelity ADT needed a reliable and cost-effective wireless network to improve the efficiency and resilience of its security monitoring and intervention services for all of South Africa.
The solution
In partnership with Amber IoT, Fidelity ADT deployed a solution based on 0G Sigfox technology that involves the installation of large-scale, jamming-resistant IoT alarm systems to monitor and respond as reliably and cost-effectively as possible to customer security issues, whether residential or commercial.
The results
The 0G Sigfox South Africa network-connected IoT alarm system enabled Fidelity ADT to achieve:
- Significant cost savings
- Increased operational efficiency
- Scalability and replicability of the service over larger areas due to national network coverage
- Increased competitive advantages due to anti-jamming features
0G Network Operator
Sigfox South Africa is a pioneer in the country’s IoT landscape, whose mission is to make available to businesses and industries nationwide the innovation opportunities enabled by the LPWA network based on Sigfox 0G technology.
Solution
Partner
Amber IoT is an engineering company specialized in developing cutting-edge IoT solutions for improved operational efficiency and business growth.
Client
Fidelity ADT is a leading provider of integrated commercial and residential security solutions with services deployed to more than 70 percent of South African retailers.
ADT is a company that was founded over 150 years ago and was acquired byFidelity Services in 2017, and since then protecting South Africa ‘s residences and businesses has been its top priority. Fidelity ADT is a leading provider of integrated security solutions and services, including high-tech solutions for intrusion detection and personal security, as well as 24/7 remote monitoring and on-site intervention by trained security personnel.
Over the past decade, the digital revolution has made traditional network infrastructures obsolete and they are increasingly prone to the following disruptions:
- Delays in data transfer
- Low data transfer rates
- Susceptibility to jamming and eavesdropping
- Service interruptions during power outages (frequent in South Africa)
- Need for expensive repeaters to make up for lack of coverage
Faced with rising costs of traditional connectivity, increasing complexity, and increasing use of jamming devices, Fidelity ADT needed a cost-effective and reliable wireless network that could provide 24/7 monitoring for its intrusion detection and personal security systems.
How IoT remote monitoring and the 0G network have helped Fidelity ADT increase the security of South African homes and businesses
Fidelity ADT commissioned Amber IoT, an innovative company, to develop a wireless IoT communication device that would meet its technical requirements and connect the client’s intrusion panel to the 24/7 outdoor monitoring center via Sigfox South Africa‘s 0G network , an LPWA network that enables connectivity of low-cost and low-power devices for mass IoT.
Compact and lightweight, the IoT alarm system communication device integrates seamlessly with a wide range of commercially available alarm and intrusion detection panels, including even panels previously purchased from vendors around the world. Installation is quick and easy. Due to its low power consumption, the device is powered directly from the intrusion detection panel without the need for additional power and wiring, further saving costs. The solution also has an optional long-life battery that allows the device to operate even in the event of a total power failure.
On average, an IoT alarm system sends via the 0G network 12 messages per day to the monitoring center enabling continuous remote monitoring of the customer’s premises. Standard data captured and shared by the solution include alerts signaling panic button activation or alarms such as fire and theft alerts. In many cases, the integrated Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) also provides Fidelity ADT with the precise location from which the alarm message originated, to ensure that guards get to the correct location quickly. The device can also act as a water leak detector and automatically send an alert to the monitoring center.
For Fidelity ADT, the security of the 0G network and the capability to prevent cellular jamming, a common technique used by thieves to hack networks, represent concrete and compelling advantages. Compared to traditional networks, the 0G protocol offers customers a cost-effective choice for creating sustainable and versatile large-scale solutions that provide long-term commercially viable solutions.
Carel Wessels, Group Chief Technology Officer, Fidelity Services Group
The unparalleled coverage and reliability of the 0G network, even in traditionally hard-to-reach and remote locations, are critical to our customers’ high security standards. The low power consumption of the 0G network helps us reduce costs, greatly improving the feasibility of application in various deployment contexts and enabling us to provide exceptional security service standards. Finally, Sigfox South Africa was the only provider to provide us with a Service Level Agreement (SLA) on network coverage, which is critical to ensuring the availability of our 24-hour monitoring service for our customers.
Wahl Bartmann, managing director, Fidelity Services Group
Fidelity ADT ensures cost savings and improves service reliability with communication devices for IoT alarm systems connected to Sigfox South Africa’s 0G network
In 2017, Fidelity ADT launched a pilot project, installing the Sigfox-based communication system for IoT alarm systems in homes and businesses in Johannesburg. The rapid success of the project has now resulted in more than 300,000 installations across South Africa.
The IoT solution has helped Fidelity ADT overcome significant operational challenges in terms of connectivity, while meeting regulatory and compliance requirements and offering customers a high-security solution, enabling the company’s differentiation in the local market.
We are proud partner of Fidelity ADT on this solution and excited to see more and more companies recognizing the benefits of the Sigfox 0G network. With our wide national coverage, anti-jamming capability, very low power consumption, and being the only network in South Africa that can offer an SLA, 0G technology is the right choice. It is inspiring to witness global security success stories, such as Verisure and Coyote Secure in Europe, where the 0G protocol has proven its effectiveness. Fidelity ADT is the latest example of how our 0G network offers a reliable and powerful complement or alternative for the security industry.
Gregory Rood, managing director, Sigfox South Africa
In Puglia water is remote-controlled thanks to Hydro Systems and EIT Smart
In Apulia water becomes “pay-per-use” thanks to a winning partnership between the Consortium Bonifica della Capitanata, Hydro Systems and EIT Smart
The relentless advance of climate change imposes major restrictions on water use, both for people and for agriculture. Apulia, too, is strongly affected by the sharp reduction in water resources over these past few years, a fact that turns out to be a serious problem since it is the main agricultural region in the South. Indeed, 80 percent of Italy’s olive oil production comes from here and it is one of the most important national sectors in terms of horticulture, cereal and viticulture (table and wine grapes).
In response to this new situation, Apulian farmers have adopted innovative and sustainable agricultural techniques able to reduce environmental impact and optimize the use of water resources without compromising productivity. Examples include the use of low consumption water-efficient IoT irrigation techniques.
The project of the Consortium Bonifica della Capitanata.
The Consortium Bonifica della Capitanata, which operates in the northern part of Apulia more specifically in the province of Foggia, is one of the largest and most innovative irrigation authorities in Europe. In recent months it unveiled a project to modernize the Fortore irrigation district through a remote-controlled and remote sensing water delivery system.
The project, which has already been tested and funded by the Ministry of Agriculture under the NRRP financial framework, involves the first installation of 2,100 new water delivery units, already tested, distributed over an irrigated area of 14,376 hectares. The units are equipped with electrical control boards operated by electronic withdrawal cards and are monitored remotely, thanks to a remote control. This makes it possible to check water consumption at all times with remote sensing IoT ultrasonic meters and to monitor water distribution, thus avoiding waste and abuse.
The modernization of the Bonifica della Capitanata Consortium’s water distribution system, already started about 4 years ago,
will continue with the installation of additional delivery groupsand the project will come to serve about 150 thousand hectares with 20,000 devices installed, of which approximately 15,000 are already active.
Hydro Systems’ solution for optimized water management based on 0G Sigfox communication protocols
The project was carried out by Hydro Systems, a CMC Group company, which has 30 years of experience in water management. The main fields of activity are:
- water lifting plants
- wastewater treatment plants
- remote controls on distribution and pumping systems
- automated devices for the distribution and metering of water for irrigation use
In recent years, due to the ever-increasing demand for water for agriculture against its diminishing availability, the company has been actively committed to the development of innovative IoT solutions: it had become essential to find a system able to rationally and responsibly manage this precious resource.
Out of this need Hydro Systems developed the DWS (Delivery Water Systems), which saves about 25% of water every year compared to traditional distribution systems. It uses delivery units that are automated and always connected thanks to IoT, an innovative irrigation solution that allows for a more sustainable management of the water distribution system.
In addition to the project of the Consortium Bonifica della Capitanata, the system is being implemented in other smaller projects, around 5,000 devices in total, in Campania, Lazio, Valle d’Aosta and Calabria.
Hydro Systems’ DWS system: how it works
The DWS system is an automated, remote-controlled and remote sensing system for the delivery of water from public irrigation systems and consists of a hydraulic device coupled with a control unit. The automated distribution system is aimed at rationalizing delivery and measuring the water delivered from collective irrigation systems operated by land reclamation authorities. Water extraction from totally independent delivery groups equipped with an electronic unit is now possible using a withdrawal card (user card) which is given to each user/farmer.
This solution detects and transmits data on consumption, flow rate, including instantaneous flow, volume, and information on valve opening and closing, as well as delivering periodic messages and any alarm messages.
Hydro Systems chose EIT Smart’s 0G Sigfox network
Initially, the control units communicated data via GPRS modem, but this communication system proved to be inadequate for two reasons:
- high power consumption was a significant problem, especially considering the absence of continuous power sources in the rural areas where the power packs were installed
- cellular network coverage in these remote and isolated areas was often insufficient, causing frequent interruptions in data transmission
The GPRS modem was therefore replaced by integrating a radio module into the control unit that communicates thanks to the 0G Sigfox network provided by EIT Smart exclusively for Italy.
This choice resulted in several advantages for Hydro System’s DWS system:
Low power consumption
Lower power consumption of the control units for data transmission, thus the possibility of using a multi-year duration battery power supply.
Total network coverage
"Total" network coverage of isolated areas not reached by the cellular network due to long object/network communication distances (dozens of kilometers).
Easy implementation
An easy implementation of the technology that effectively made it a "plug-and-play" solution.
The benefits derived from the use of the DWS system
Adopting a system with automated delivery units such as Hydro Systems’ DWS “Delivery Water System” in 0G Sigfox technology from EIT Smart has significant advantages:
- The optimization of water distribution and use: the managing authority can adopt personalized and functional distribution criteria compatible with the available resources and the hydraulic characteristics of the distribution network (volume, shifts and withdrawal times), as well as assigning the user at the beginning of the irrigation season a seasonal volume of water (endowment). The user may use the endowment at the times and in the ways he or she sees fit, respecting the established distribution criteria.
- The reduction of waste and abuse in water use, given the direct allocation to each customer/farmer and the resulting continuous monitoring of consumption.
- The users save money: the users are charged for the actual volume of water withdrawn (“pay per use” system) and no field work or routine maintenance is required during operation.
EIT Smart and UnaBiz for the monitoring of roller cages
The UnaBiz solution for roller cage monitoring
Every year, millions of roller cages used by last-mile shippers and couriers are lost, compromising efficiency, operations and customer satisfaction.
Discover the IoT solution in 0G Sigfox technology, designed by Unabiz and supported in Italy by EIT Smart, perfect for reducing the loss of roller cages, eliminating underused ones and ensuring efficiency, savings and sustainability in a circular economy.
Improve your last mile delivery today and take your operation to the next level!
IoT for home security: the experience of Verisure and UnaBiz
Verisure e UnaBiz
Verisure is leader in Europe in protecting small businesses and people in their homes , with over 5 million customers. Over its more than 30-year history, Verisure has introduced the most revolutionary innovations to the alarm system market, which have since become standards for the industry and sector. With a commitment to excellence in customer service, the company operates the largest and most modern Alarm Reception Center in Europe, handling over 300 million telematic signals per day.
Verisure has approached the development of IoT devices thanks also to a solid partnership with Sigfox to offer its customers a safe and always effective protection, and anti jamming capabilities.
The aim of Verisure
Over the years, the company has created various anti-theft products, continuously improving their technical aspects and aiming to enhance their “human aspects”.
“Starting from the assumption that our customers are not technology experts, it was important to make them understand the value of our proposal, without getting into technicalities and making them perceive the concrete advantages that 0G technology could bring them” explained Angel Ybanez, of the strategy and business development director of Verisure.
The jamming
GSM-based radio communication based, used by most alarm systems, is considered the element of main vulnerability of a wireless security system since it can be easily jammed with (illegal )network jamming devices . With the interruption of radio communication, alarm systems are no longer able to resist possible intrusion attempts. As a result, a building or home can be left unprotected and vulnerable.
To ensure strong home security in the event of jamming, Verisure has adopted LPWA connectivity and chosen Sigfox as a partner, ensuring the security of its customers’ homes anywhere in the world.
UnaBiz partners with Verisure for intelligent backup of security alarms
Verisure, parter of UnaBiz, integrates the Sigfox 0G network into its security system as a backup of the GSM network in case of outages and jamming attacks.
When interference or disturbance is detected, the control panel sends an alert via the Sigfox 0G network, which due to its intrinsic characteristics is particularly resistant to jamming, to the Verisure central command station.
This solution offers 100% protection against radio interference. Customers can rest assured that their alarms will sound, even if their telephone networks are down.
Waste management with EIT Smart and 0G Sigfox technology
Waste management
The topic of waste management is very interesting for public and private companies, utilities and production companies. The management of urban and industrial waste is a critical activity that brings economic, environmental and social implications.
Managing different collection systems, respecting the constraints given by the territory and making them efficient and sustainable, is the challenge that waste management companies must face.
Waste collection, transport, recycling and disposal are complex and expensive activities, which require organization and control.
In this context, Sigfox 0G technology opens a new era in the Internet of Things (IoT) sector for monitoring any type of container, and allows you to manage all waste management activities in a simple, accurate and innovative way.
EIT Smart, a company of the EI Towers Group, thanks to this unique technology, is able to enable solutions to collect a large variety of up-to-date data from the field.
0G technology is therefore an excellent alternative for waste management, as demonstrated by some important Italian “success stories”, such as the one of Adgenera.
Adambì, the RML level sensor
Adgenera, a very dynamic Italian engineering company, has developed an innovative technology that allows you to obtain all the benefits of “smart” management of urban waste in a simple and concrete way: Adambì.
It is an RML “wireless” level sensor, with battery power supply, that makes waste bins and dumpsters “smart”. The device, compact and discreet, can be installed on bins of various sizes, from 360 to 3200 litres, on bells and on underground containers. It is therefore suitable for monitoring the collection of glass, used clothing, waste oil, street bins… it is suitable for any container.
The RML sensor can be easily installed in a few minutes on any container, even those already in use. The sensor autonomously learns the shape of the bin in which it is installed and, thanks to patented optical technology, calculates the filling level based on the closest object. The system of intelligent bins distributed across the territory is able to count, classify and quantify the waste delivered by each user in a safe and reliable way.
The RML sensor, in fact, allows you to monitor the filling level of all the bins, promptly emptying the full ones and avoiding trips to the empty ones, thus saving time, unnecessary trips and fuel, and at the same time improving the quality of the service: containers always available and clean streets.
It therefore allows you to save time and resources, optimizing and making the collection of any type of waste more efficient.
The advantages of 0G Sigfox technology for waste management
All containers, bins or dumpsters, equipped with an RML sensor, send data relating to the filling level to a single platform, from which it is possible to monitor all collection points.
The RML sensor exploits low power Low Power Wide Area Networks (LPWA), which are increasingly a point of reference in the world of IoT, and in particular the EIT Smart 0G low-power transmission network based on Sigfox technology.
Within the Low Power Area Network (LPWA) cluster, Sigfox is characterized by simplicity, resistance, low emissions and low energy consumption, thanks to the features of the Ultra Narrow Band (UNB) protocol. In fact, the protocol allows data to be brought to the cloud, not through the classic mobile telephone networks, but by using a new dedicated network, managed by EIT Smart. The communicating item in Sigfox is not connected to a specific base station, but the transmitted message can be received by any base station located in the range of the device.
With Sigfox data are transmitted even over large communication distances, such streets of a city or a territory to be monitored, guaranteeing high scalability of the network, thanks to the penetration of the signal and the high number of nodes managed.
As Sigfox Operator in Italy, EIT Smart is the only operator able to provide the benefits of this technology, combined with global interoperability between the networks of all Sigfox partners using the same 0G communication standard in over 70 countries in the world.
EIT Smart and Itaca for the safety of the Marconi Express in Bologna
Infrastructure monitoring for safety
Infrastructure monitoring is a crucial aspect to guarantee the safety of roads, bridges, viaducts and any other works in general.
It is essential to closely monitor infrastructure to ensure optimal management throughout its lifecycle, allowing the management and the maintenance staff to predict and address any problems on time and effective way.
Although they may seem immobile, infrastructures have their own intrinsic dynamics, they wear out over time, suffer various stresses such as vibrations, compressions, extensions and are exposed to humidity, heat, cold and frost.
Thanks to appropriately positioned sensors, it is possible to continuously detect a wide range of crucial data for efficient monitoring of the infrastructure. By then transmitting this information to a central platform that collects and processes the data, managers can evaluate the behavior of the structures and materials to predict any changes and quickly understand what type of actions to make the structure safe.
Safer infrastructures thanks to EIT Smart and Itaca: The case of the Marconi Express
EIT Smart and Itaca, an innovative startup that offers a complete infrastructure monitoring service, have collaborated to guarantee the safety of the Marconi Express, a monorail line, which, with a length of approximately 5 kilometers, connects Bologna’s Guglielmo Marconi Airport to the station Bologna Centrale railway.
The intervention involved the application of 50 sensors for the structural monitoring of the thermal expansions of the Bologna’s Marconi Express infrastructure. The devices are composed of a unit equipped with a 0G Sigfox radio module connected to linear potentiometric displacement transducers that monitor the distance between the tracks with a precision of a tenth of a millimetre.
The aim of the application is to remotely monitor the state of the transport infrastructure in order to:
- Guarantee service continuity, promptly detecting any failures that could lead to system downtime as well as potential safety problems
- Enable the implementation of predictive maintenance logics through the creation of artificial intelligence algorithms and increase the timeliness and effectiveness of railway maintenance activities
The devices are programmed to collect movement and temperature information and send it every 2 hours via the 0G Sigfox network. The data collected in this way is displayed and shared via a web application. An integration has also been carried out on the Telegram App, which allows you to automatically query the latest readings without necessarily having to access the application.
The effectiveness of the Sigfox 0G network for infrastructure monitoring
Thanks to its long communication distances and its scalability, the Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) in 0G Sigfox technology is perfect for the static monitoring of infrastructures using easy, long-lasting (months/years) battery-powered sensors to install and require minimal maintenance.
0G Sigfox technology, in fact, is characterized by simplicity, resistance, low emissions and low energy consumption, thanks to the characteristics of the Ultra Narrow Band (UNB) protocol.
0G Sigfox technology allows data transmission even over long distances as the sensors transmit data in broadcast mode which is receivable from any base station placed within the object’s transmission range.
This guarantees high network scalability, thanks to signal penetration and the high number of managed nodes.
EIT Smart is the only 0G Sigfox Operator in Italy, and is one of the partners of the 0G Sigfox Operator community which uses the same 0G Sigfox communication standard in 70 countries around the world, guaranteeing optimal global network interoperability at a global level.
EIT Smart for indoor well-being and energy efficiency
In recent years, also following the Covid-19 pandemic and the increase in air pollution, there has been an increasingly growing attention towards indoor air quality and the measurement instruments connected to it.
Among the most promising developments in technology is the possibility of have simple and easily installable tools able to monitoring the air we breathe.
In fact, until a few years ago, the analysis of air pollutants was the prerogative of very expensive systems, extremely complex to use and large, such as the urban monitoring stations used by institution like ARPA.
Over the last few years, there has also been an increase in monitoring devices, with an ever-increasing miniaturization of sensors, reducing costs and dimensions while maintaining excellent analysis capacity. We have thus moved from complex and bulky instruments to sensors with an affordable cost and use affordable for everyone.
This is the frontier of the Internet of Things (IoT) paradigm, which today offers the possibility of having tools capable of communicating independently with the network, which can be used to obtain information on the world around us.
Monitoring indoor air quality
Not just the fresh air is polluted. Even the air you breathe every day at home, as well as at work, can be contaminated by various biological, chemical and physical sources of pollution, which are harmful to the body in the long run. A contaminated space can compromise the well-being of those who live and work in a confined environment for a long period of time. Indoor air comes from the external air of the atmosphere and, in the absence of adequate natural and/or artificial ventilation, its quality inevitably tends to deteriorate.
In industrialized countries and, in particular, in urban environments, the population spends more than 80% of their time indoors, i.e. at home, office, car and in places of education such as schools and universities.
Numerous studies, including those conducted in Italy in recent years by Sima, the Italian Society of Environmental Medicine, demonstrate that the presence of pollutants in the air we breathe is correlated to the development of various pathologies. In particular, levels of harmful substances can be measured above the threshold of attention established by the World Health Organization. Measure them has therefore become a strict necessity in different contexts, homes and workplaces above all.
We all know that clean and healthy air guarantees health and well-being and avoids the onset of symptoms such as: drowsiness, headaches, exhaustion, lack of concentration, burning eyes, breathing difficulties such as throat and nose discomfort, asthma and allergies.
Measuring well-being and comfort thanks to sensors and data
Air quality sensors today can detect a large amount of contaminants in the air, such as particles, pollutants and harmful gases that are damaging to health. They are used in various applications such as health monitoring of buildings, gas detection in industries, combustion controllers and oxygen generators in aircraft.
Monitoring indoor air quality in particular can be carried out using specific devices equipped with sensors capable of detecting multiple types of pollution and a varied parameters that can contribute to making indoor air unhealthy, such as:
- electromagnetic fields (high and low frequency);
- PM 2.5 particulate matter (animal hair, dust, pollen, etc.);
- volatile organic compounds (such as formaldehyde);
- carbon dioxide (CO2);
- air temperature (on which the speed and intensity of many volatile components can depend);
- relative humidity below 70%, so as not to encourage microbiological pollution;
- presence of radon gas.
We might think that install sensors in entire buildings with numerous rooms, or many environments located even at great distances from each other, is not so simple. In reality, this is not the case: the use of wireless communication networks with 0G Sigfox technology has allowed the development of sensors that make it easy to apply this strategy. In fact, this technology allows us to have sensors that are extremely small in size, economical, high precision, robust and require no maintenance, thanks, for example, to long-lasting batteries.
The sensors are also simple to install, do not require wiring and can be easily moved from one room to another. They can also be configured according to your needs: for the detection of inorganic gases and volatile organic compounds in the air, rather than to obtain other detailed information on temperature, humidity, etc.
An example: the sensors of 3Castagni and Connected Invention, companies specialized in the development of hardware, firmware, software and turnkey IoT solutions, characterized by being miniaturized, made with components with high longevity and specific for ultra low power, with multiple connectivity, capable of detecting multiple parameters simultaneously (temperature, air quality,…) and RF optimized for space saving without reducing performance.
The link between air quality and energy efficiency
Having air quality and environmental parameters under control allows you to protect human health and the environment, while also pursuing energy efficiency.
Have sensors that precisely measure and monitor indoor air quality allows a quick and accurate dispatch of the recorded values to advanced building management systems, making the overall management of the mechanical ventilation and air conditioning system more efficient.
It has been estimated that by knowing the exact temperatures in each apartment, property owners can save 15-20% of heating and energy costs (source: Connected Inventions).
Environmental detection based on new intelligent devices therefore allows us to improve the comfort and well-being of both people and the environment.
Integrating energy and environmental monitoring is possible thanks to the Internet of Things: this need, combined with precise design techniques and the use of dedicated LPWA communication networks, has allowed us to develop simple and effective solutions for measuring energy and comfort parameters.
In particular, the use of 0G Sigfox wireless communication networks has allowed the development of integrated sensors with low energy consumption and consequent long life battery without increasing size, and ease of installation and management, thanks to the absence of wiring and to the possibility of easily repositioning the sensors in accordance with the possible reorganization of the internal spaces of a building.
Sigfox 0G technology: how it works
In this context, 0G Sigfox technology is an active communication technology that uses a dedicated data collection infrastructure with national coverage. It is characterized by:
- long reading distances
- low electromagnetic emissions
- robustness and high energy efficiency
- allows you to collect a large variety of data from the field, updated and usable remotely, for the collection of which it is no longer possible to rely just on solutions based on traditional communication technologies such as cellular.
Unlike short-range technological solutions (BLE, RFId, etc.), which provide a good solution for collecting data in limited spaces, Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWA) connectivity allows huge distances to be covered. Specifically, low-power LPWA networks, to which Sigfox also belongs, are becoming a reference point for the technological evolution of the IoT world.
Based on the Sigfox Ultra Narrow Band (UNB) communication protocol, 0G technology provides numerous advantages over traditional communication networks. Among these, we mention:
- simplicity of use
- low cost
- low energy consumption
- security
- absence of electromagnetic pollution.
It guarantees coverage in Italy and ensures global interoperability for its customers integrating with the networks of all Sigfox operators who use the same standard as 0G communication present in over 70 countries around the world. And there is no need to invest in hardware: thanks to the presence of an operator, users will not have to worry about network-related issues.
The protocol allows data to be brought into the cloud using a new network dedicated to the IoT and not through the classic mobile telephone or WiFi networks. The communicating object in Sigfox is not connected to a specific base station, but the sent message is received by all base stations located in the area reached by the signal. With Sigfox data can be transmitted even over large communication distances, guaranteeing high network scalability, thanks to signal penetration and the high number of managed nodes.
Conclusions
In a constantly evolving world where energy and environmental monitoring is fundamental for the health of human beings and the planet, technology plays a key role in obtaining visibility and control of processes.
To this end, EIT Smart, a company of the EI Towers Group, is able to implement solutions to collect a large variety of data from the field, updated and usable remotely, making available a unique and highly innovative technology: 0G Sigfox technology, which enables applications that until recently would not have been sustainable with traditional technologies.
For more info write to info.eitsmart@eitowers.it.
Convergence - part 3
Article by Rémi Lorrain
Vice-president Convergence – UnaBiz
How to implement convergence between Sigfox and LoRaWAN devices?
The most frequently asked question about convergence is: How can you implement convergence between Sigfox and LoRaWAN devices?
One of the most frequent questions users ask about convergence is: “How can convergence be implemented between Sigfox and LoRaWAN devices/solutions?”.
There are several stakeholders in the IoT ecosystem who have already undertaken what we could call “hybridization”, i.e. the implementation of hybrid schemes in their IoT devices. This process has often been reinterpreted by each player depending on the sector in which it operates, introducing barriers to achieving a rapid go-to-market strategy and emphasizing the vertical integration of applications.
The goal of this article is to share an easy way to implement Sigfox and LoRaWAN dual-mode functionality on your devices.
Who is the target audience?
First of all, who is the target audience? Which company finds value in implementing Sigfox + LoRaWAN dual-mode devices/solutions and why?
1. Device manufacturers: Convergence increases the cost-effectiveness of their product portfolio by enabling access to a broader market with a single product (SKU) capable of communicating with both technologies (Adeunis, Connected Inventions, Itron Sigfox and LoRa meter, Kaifa and Unabiz)
2. IoT Service Providers: Convergence allows them to expand their coverage with a single IoT device/solution (API-K)
3. IoT customers (companies): end users who wish to exploit the same IoT device by connecting it from time to time to the best network, LoRaWAN or Sigfox, available depending on the geographical areas, thus avoiding running risks when the chosen network experiences interruptions or is unavailable (for example, international asset tracking with mobile devices that need the best coverage available where they are used).
What are the benefits for IoT customers in adopting LoRaWAN and Sigfox dual mode?
• Expanded coverage, including LoRaWAN satellite access by Sigfox and LoRaWAN customers in multiple geographies;
• Single device (SKU) for both technologies to reduce costs;
• Improved SLA and network performance/resilience when Sigfox and LoRaWAN are deployed simultaneously.
What triggered the ability to scale the Sigfox and LoRaWAN dual-mode deployment?
Semtech now supports dual mode on 2nd and 3rd generation chipsets in the LoRa Connect and LoRa Edge portfolios in collaboration with Semtech and Unabiz.
What is the easy-to-follow process to implement Sigfox and LoRaWAN dual mode?
Step 1: choose a compatible chipset from the following:
1. Semtech LR1110 LR1120, LR1121 , SX126x
2. ST Micro STM32WL5
3. IoT modules Murata LoRaWAN Modules LSM 110A
Step 2: integrate Sigfox and LoRaWAN opensource firmware onto the device’s external microcontroller
- Sigfox end point library
- LoRa Basics Modem stack for Semtech chipsets
- Enable Sigfox on LRxx Semtech Chipsets
*The Sigfox implementation diagram on Semtech’s SX12xx chipsets will be released on Github by the end of 2023.
Step 3: integrate, certify and test the entire software package
- Adapt the selected microcontroller
- Certify radio and protocol (LoRaWAN certification, Sigfox certification)
- Manage your device’s Sigfox and LoRaWAN credentials
- Integrate and test
Step 4: Update the device application firmware (on edge) and/or IoT cloud middleware with the best “technology selection scheme”, adapted to your use case:
- Choose the best available network connectivity (Sigfox or LoRaWAN) during provisioning if the device is static (switch to the best available network connectivity)
- or dynamically choose the best available connectivity if the device is mobile (each transmission searches for the best available network connectivity)
- or connect Sigfox and LoRaWAN at the same time (network overlay) to increase network capacity and resilience.
The selection of smart network technology can be implemented on the edge (device firmware) or in the cloud (middleware for data extraction, for example: UnaConnect or application server).
If you have any questions or difficulties with hybridizing your devices/solutions, please contact us at info.eitsmart@eitowers.it
