Farnell, an Avnet Company and global distributor of electronic components, products and solutions, announces the launch of its third, annual IoT Survey. The survey provides an opportunity for Internet of Things (IoT) and Industrial IoT product designers and system engineers to share insights about the market while helping shape the product range and technical resources offered by Farnell to support this diverse and evolving technology.

The survey is open from 15^th September to 1^st December 2020 with results of the survey to be announced in spring 2021. All participants in the survey can also enter a competition with the opportunity to win:

• An iPad Pro 11-inch
• A £250 Amazon gift card (or local currency equivalent)
• A £50 Amazon gift card (or local currency equivalent)

The Farnell 2020 annual IoT survey is open to engineers working on IoT solutions. This year’s questions have been enhanced for a truly deep dive into the IoT industry and responses will provide greater insight into the technologies, challenges, and opportunities designers of IoT solutions face. The results will show how the IoT industry is changing year-on-year, revealing the full range of potential applications and market trends and how the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the design process is growing. Understanding the impact COVID-19 has on IoT developments is also a key focus. While industrial systems may be adversely affected by the pandemic it is likely that medical diagnosis and automated test systems could very well experience rapid growth.

Key results from the 2019 survey showed the growing role of hardware in the design process for IoT solutions. Design engineers indicated that they use a wide range of off the shelf hardware platforms to accelerate the speed of development and shorten time to the market. Fifty-four percent of developers confirmed they are now using single board computers, from brands such as Raspberry Pi or Arduino, as they provide ready-to-use embedded development platforms for building end-products. Almost half of respondents said they used AI in their design in 2019. Interoperability and certification to standards continued to be identified as key to accelerating the benefits of IoT in both the 2018 and 2019 surveys.

Farnell’s research also suggests that opportunities within the IoT will continue to grow over the next five years with key application areas expected to include home automation, industrial automation and control, smart factories and smart buildings.

Cliff Ortmeyer, Global Head of Technical Marketing for Farnell says: “The IoT continues to be one of the most prominent global technology trends, and opportunities are growing exponentially in our rapidly changing market. The results from our annual global survey will provide engineers working in IoT with greater insight into the technology solutions currently available in the market and support efficient decision-making when identifying new systems and overcoming common issues. The responses will also help shape the product range and technical resources offered by Farnell to enable us to provide increased support to our customers. Our annual IoT survey gives engineers from around the world a chance to highlight the trends they see in the IoT space as well as the challenges they face and the solutions they seek.”

Farnell provides access to an extensive range of development tools for IoT and works with innovative providers to bring the latest for AI and security. Customers can find support and design resources including the IoT Hub, AI pages and an AI configurator on the Farnell website. Fast delivery is available on all major development boards for IoT including Raspberry Pi 4 Model B Computer, Avnet SmartEdge IIoT Gateway, Microsoft Azure Sphere Starter Kit, BeagleBone AI and Ultra96 V2.

To get involved in the Farnell global IoT survey and enter the competition click here.

Share your thoughts online using #IoTSurveyFarnell. Terms and conditions for the IoT Survey and competition are available here.

Farnell, the Development Distributor, has published new research on the Internet of Things (IoT) which confirms strong adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) within IoT devices, alongside new insights on key markets, enablers and concerns for design engineers working in IoT.

AIoT is the major emerging trend from the survey, demonstrating the beginning of the process to build a true IoT ecosystem. Research showed that almost half (49%) of respondents already use AI in their IoT applications, with Machine Learning (ML) the most used technology (28%) followed by cloud-based AI (19%). This adoption of AI within IoT design is coupled with a growing confidence to take the lead on IoT development and an increasing number of respondents seeing themselves as innovators. However, it is still evident that some engineers (51%) are hesitant to adopt AI due to being new to the technology or because they require specialized expertise in how to implement AI in IoT applications.

Other results from Farnell’s second Global IoT Survey show that security continues to be the biggest concern designers consider in IoT implementation. Although 40% cited security as their biggest concern in 2018 and this has reduced to 35% in 2019, it is still ranked significantly higher than connectivity and interoperability due to the type of data collected from “things” (machines) and humans, which can be very sensitive and personal. Businesses initiating new IoT projects treat IoT security as a top priority by implementing hardware and software security to protect for any kind of potential threat. Ownership of collected data is another important aspect of security, with 70% of respondents preferring to own the data collected by an edge device as opposed to it being owned by the IoT solution provider.

The survey also shows that although many engineers (46%) still prefer to design a complete edge-to-cloud and security solution themselves, openness to integrate production ready solutions, such as SmartEdge Agile, SmartEdge IIoT Gateway, which offer a complete end-to-end IoT Solution, has increased. 12% more respondents confirmed that they would consider third party devices in 2019 than 2018, particularly if in-house expertise is limited or time to market is critical.

A key trend from last year’s survey results has continued in 2019 and survey results suggest that the growing range of hardware available to support IoT development continues to present new opportunities. More respondents than ever are seeing innovation coming from start-ups (33%, up from 26%), who benefit from the wide availability of modular solutions and single board computers available on the market. The number of respondents adopting off-the-shelf hardware has also increased to 54% from 50% in 2018.

Cliff Ortmeyer, Global Head of Technical Marketing for Farnell says: “Opportunities within the Internet of Things and AI continue to grow, fueled by access to an increasing number of hardware and software solutions which enable developers to bring products to market more quickly than ever before, and without the need for specialized expertise. This is opening up IoT to new entrants, and giving more developers the opportunity to innovate to improve lives. Farnell provides access to an extensive range of development tools for IoT and AI which provide off-the-shelf solutions to common challenges.”

Despite the swift integration of smart devices such as Amazon’s Alexa and Google Home into daily life, evidencing a widespread adoption of IoT in the consumer space, in 2019 we saw a slight shift in focus away from home automation with the number of respondents who considered it to be the most impactful application in IoT in the next 5 years reducing from 27% to 22%. Industrial automation and smart cities both gained, at 22% and 16% respectively, underpinned by a growing understanding of the value that IoT data can bring to operations (rising from 44% in 2018 to 50% in 2019). This trend is witnessed in industry where more manufacturing facilities are converting to full or semi-automation in robotic manufacturing and increasing investment in predictive maintenance to reduce production down times.

The survey was conducted between September and December 2019 with 2,015 respondents participating from 67 countries in Europe, North America and APAC. Responses were predominantly from engineers working on IoT solutions (59%), as well as buyers of components related to IoT solutions, Hobbyists and Makers.

Farnell provides a broad range of products and support materials to assist developers designing IoT solutions and integrating Artificial Intelligence. Products are available from leading manufacturers such as Raspberry Pi, Arduino and Beagleboard. Farnell’s IoT hub and AI pages also provide access to the latest products for development and insights and white papers to support the design journey. Readers can view an infographic covering the full results of the Farnell Global IoT Survey at Farnell in EMEA, Newark in North America and element14 in APAC.

Farnell, the Development Distributor, announces the launch of its second, annual IoT Survey. The survey is an opportunity for engineers designing IoT and IIoT projects to give latest insights on the market and help shape the product range and technical resources offered by Farnell to support this continually expanding and diversifying technology.

The survey is open from 18^th September to 4^th December 2019 and the results will be made available in February 2020. All participants in the survey can enter a prize draw with the opportunity to win:

• An iPad pro (one winner)
• A choice between an Amazon gift card of £250 (or local currency equivalent) OR a drone of similar value (three winners)
• £50 Farnell voucher (or local currency equivalent) to spend on the Farnell website for EMEA and APAC winners, or a £50 Amazon gift card for NA winner (six winners in total)

The survey results will indicate the growth of existing and emerging IoT applications and reveal the technologies being deployed in IoT solutions. By enhancing its understanding of the market areas, design requirements and new trends, Farnell stays ahead of customer needs and ensures they can support product designs now and in the future.

Lee Morgan, Senior Technical Marketing Manager EMEA, Tektronix, expects security, energy consumption, predictive maintenance and smart cities to feature prominently in this years’ results: “I think one of the most exciting IoT industries is the Smart City, with the advent of 5G (and future wireless technologies) allowing for reliable high-speed data between devices, this opens up a new era in areas such as real-time traffic guidance, how busy restaurants/exhibitions/attractions are at certain times allowing for dynamic queue management, street lighting changing brightness when detecting people walking past.” He adds: “Energy Consumption is a real hot topic at the moment, we already have mature products in the marketplace that enable energy management in the household (think Hive and Nest), these do not just allow us to control heating, light or appliances at the touch (or say!) of a button, they also allow us to be mindful of wasting energy. Imagine the savings that could be had on a wider industrial or even country wide scale? for example, streetlights that only come on when a car is within a certain distance.”

Jacky Perdrigeat, VP EMEA Marketing & Application, Microcontrollers and Digital ICs and Gerard Cronin, Head of Marketing Communications at ST Microelectronics added:  “We expect the survey to confirm that Security, Reliability, and Ecosystem are all critically important in IoT development. The relative importance of each of these depends on the end application – and this is why ST offers a full range of products and technologies to enable developers the flexibility to emphasize the features that best meet their markets’ needs. We’d also expect that due to the enormous value that industries and cities can realize from smart applications – for safety, efficiency, and convenience – that Smart City and Smart Industry applications may become the largest (value) markets in the long term. Because the IoT enables developers to add intelligence wherever it can make people’s lives better, there is an incredible value proposition for end markets that will ultimately ensure its success.”

This is the second year Farnell has run the survey and this time the inclusion of AI-related questions will show how the IoT industry is changing and embracing new technologies. The new questions will reveal where AI is being included in the IoT design process and if it is now being integrated in IoT products or solutions.

Results from the 2018 survey showed the key requirement to maximise the benefits of IoT was the need for common standards and policies. It also revealed the growing role of hardware in the design process, with engineers using a range of hardware platforms to accelerate development pace and shorten time-to-market including the Raspberry Pi and BeagleBone Black. Results also highlighted key application areas expected to grow in the next five years including home automation, industrial automation and control, and Artificial Intelligence.

Cliff Ortmeyer, Global Head of Technical Marketing for Farnell says: “Opportunities and applications for the Internet of Things are growing at an increasing pace and we ensure that our customers have immediate access to the hardware and software they require to minimise their product development times. Our increasing range of modular solutions means designers no longer need to have a deep understanding of AI to build this into their systems.”

Farnell customers can find support and design resources including the IoT hub, AI pages and an AI configurator on its website. Next day delivery is available on all major development boards for IoT including Raspberry Pi 4 Model B Computer, Avnet SmartEdge IIoT Gateway, Microsoft Azure Sphere Starter kit, BeagleBone AI and Ultra96 V2.

To get involved in the Farnell global survey of IoT developments and enter the prize draw click here. Share your thoughts online using #FarnellGlobalIoTIndex. Terms and conditions for the IoT Survey and prize draw are available on the element14 community.

element14.com, the online community for engineers, has launched a new eBook for engineers, graduates and tech professionals looking to pursue a career in the fast-growing world of IoT.

The free, downloadable publication collects advice and key insights from industry experts and business leaders representing companies such as Amazon, Eaton, Microsoft, Molex and more. Featured topics include the different career paths available to an IoT professional, the skills and attributes an IoT employer looks for during the hiring process, and how emerging trends such as machine learning and cloud security are affecting the market.

The volume is compiled from insights gathered during a series of Webinars hosted on the element14 Community which focus on professional trends and issues related to the Internet of Things.

Dianne Kibbey, Global Head of Community and Social Media for the element14 Community and Farnell, said: “As the world’s largest online community for engineers and makers, we’re seeing more and more of our members harnessing the power of IoT to shape their careers and pursue new opportunities in the tech space.”

“This new eBook underscores the commitment of the element14 Community alongside Farnell, the Development Distributor, to develop the next generation of engineers; and I believe that the unique insight provided by the industry-leading experts we invite onto our webinars makes it an invaluable resource for graduates and experienced tech professionals alike.”

The eBook, entitled ‘Engineering Your Future: Professional Advice on Pursuing a Career in IoT’ can be downloaded for free along with an extensive library of eBooks by becoming a registered member of the element14.com Community. Visit https://www.element14.com/community/community/publications/ebooks to browse the full collection.

The Webinar series that inspired the eBook can also be accessed as free recordings available to registered members of the element14 Community.

Are You Ready for an IoT Career in 2019 (featuring Amazon and Eaton): https://www.element14.com/community/events/5251/l/are-you-ready-for-an-iot-career-in-2019

Are You Wired for a Great Job in IoT? (featuring Molex and Microsoft): https://www.element14.com/community/events/5222/l/are-you-wired-for-a-great-job-in-iot-featuring-molex-and-microsoft

How To Start and Grow Your IoT Career (featuring Microchip Technology Inc and The Things Network): https://www.element14.com/community/events/5192/l/how-to-start-and-grow-your-iot-career-featuring-microchip-technology-inc-and-the-things-network

As Avnet’s project-based community for anyone who wants to learn about programming and building hardware, Hackster.io challenges its community to use the power of IoT every day. Its latest contest tasks participants to not only add intelligence to their projects, but to take it to the edge.

IoT projects require that hardware, software and security solutions all work together to be successful. So, contestants will need to reimagine something from their everyday lives that could benefit from intelligent IoT, and use SmartEdge Agile and the Brainium portal to create it. These technologies can help anyone effectively develop and deploy intelligent open source IoT projects at the edge through an easy-to-use, zero-code interface.

To help participants get started, Hackster.io will give away SmartEdge Agile IoT devices to the 100 best project proposals submitted to the contest page’s “Apply for hardware” tab by 19^th April. Developers who miss the deadline can purchase SmartEdge Agile exclusively through Premier Farnell. All participants will have until 23^rd June to create a project, document the development and submit their project to the contest page. Winners will be announced on 1^st July.

By utilizing SmartEdge Agile with Octonion’s Brainium portal and AI Studio powered by Microsoft Azure, participating developers will have access to a “zero-coding” revolutionary machine learning tool to easily bring intelligence to their projects. Brainium Portal can be used to easily initiate a proof of concept (POC) by leveraging more than 20 predefined AI algorithms that can be re-used through to product launch. A Brainium software agent is embedded into SmartEdge Agile allowing seamless interface with AI Studio and facilitating the end-to end IoT solution which enables customers to focus on their use cases.

“Many IoT projects don’t get off the ground because of the complexity of incorporating hardware, software and security into designs,” said Lou Lutostanski, global vice president of IoT for Avnet. “A solution such as the SmartEdge Agile with the Brainium portal helps to simplify and secure the process of adding intelligence to IoT. The Hackster community is already leveraging these products to reimagine everyday objects with the power of AI at the edge, with some of the ideas shared so far ranging from a wildlife detector, to an automated greenhouse and even a smart badminton bat.”

This contest underscores the commitment to driving IoT innovation throughout the Avnet ecosystem. This ecosystem, comprised of small-scale specialists Premier Farnell; project-based online engineering community Hackster.io; manufacturing solution provider Dragon Innovation; and software and AI strategist Softweb Solutions; reduces the time, cost and complexities of bringing products to market.

SmartEdge Agile with the Brainium portal includes everything makers need to develop and deploy intelligent IoT projects:

• Ready to use IoT device: BLE 5.0 with nine sensors
• End to end solution: full software stack at firmware, gateway and cloud levels
• Dashboard: real time data visualization with Brainium widgets
• Customization: ready to use cloud API for customization
• AI at the Edge with zero coding approach: the AI studio allows makers to build and deploy an AI model in just a few clicks
• Security at the Edge: edge to cloud security model

An expert panel, including Ongan Mordeniz, Co-founder and COO of Octonion; Michael Lamp, Director of Americas IoT Business Development at Avnet, Luis Benito Matias Igea, IoT Principal Solutions Specialist at Microsoft; and Patrice Hamard, Microcontroller Product Marketing Manager at STMicroelectronics, will judge the entries.

Hackster.io will award more than $6,000 in prizes in three categories, tripling participants’ chances to win: Best Use of AI at the Edge, Best Use Case For Real Life Practical Application, and Best Use Case For Industrial IoT. First, second and third place winners for each of the categories will receive a Vuzix Blade, GIWOX 3D Holographic Fan, and DJI Osmo Pocket Camera respectively.

The Hackster.io team will also select one project that best contributes to any of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to receive a $250 gift card, 12-month subscription to Patchr Premium, and be featured in a video interview with Hackster’s vibrant in-house personality and hardware nerd, Alex Glow.

To learn more about this challenge to bring intelligence to the real world, and to enter, visit https://www.hackster.io/contests/smartedgeagile

Premier Farnell, the Development Distributor, introduces the exclusive Avnet SmartEdge Industrial IoT Gateway; a new low-cost industrial gateway powered by Raspberry Pi. The Avnet SmartEdge Industrial Gateway will be showcased at Embedded World, Nuremberg, Germany from 26-28 February 2019 on stand 1-370.

The Avnet SmartEdge Industrial IoT Gateway enables seamless and secure connectivity to the cloud through Avnet’s IoT Connect platform running on Microsoft Azure, and is ideal for developing industrial automation applications such as, remote monitoring, predictive maintenance, process control and automation.

The gateway addresses key requirements for customers across a wide range of industrial applications – including additional ports to handle industrial protocols and a trusted computing module for added security on the hardware.

Connectivity options include a full set of industrial peripherals which include CAN-BUS and RS-232/ 485 (Modbus and DeviceNet) interfaces, isolated digital I/O and dual 10/100 Ethernet, with wireless connectivity including WiFi at 2.4 GHz and BLE 4.2 via an integrated antenna with external connectivity, plus an mPCIe interface for cellular modems. Power is via a 12-24 V DC input, and an HDMI display output is also incorporated. It is based on an 8 Gbyte EMMC which replaces the standard SD memory card, with security guaranteed by an onboard TPM 2.0.

The device also has the 40-pin expansion header to link with a range of devices from the ecosystem of HATs and other accessories.

The enclosure features space for an additional internal accessory to provide Zigbee, Z-Wave, or LoRa communications capabilities, for example, or for multiple accessories through case expansion. Mounting options include DIN rail, wall or free-standing.

“The Avnet SmartEdge Industrial IoT Gateway offers a level of simplicity, capability and accessibility never before achieved in this environment”, says Ralf Buehler, Senior Vice-President, Product Marketing & eCommerce, at Premier Farnell. “This new and exclusive product represents the value that Premier Farnell can add to customers as part of Avnet’s unique ecosystem, creating opportunities to develop new solutions for customers, based on strong existing relationships with the Raspberry Pi Foundation.”

Lou Lutostanski, VP, Internet of Things, Avnet adds “Developers familiar with prototyping on a Raspberry Pi device will find it a straightforward task to bring their designs to a production environment without ever having to switch platforms.”

Premier Farnell will demonstrate the Avnet SmartEdge IoT Gateway at Embedded World on stand 1-370 where it is co-located with its sister company, Avnet Silica. The demo will show a predictive maintenance application that features a range of industrial sensors mounted on a motor, that sends sensor readings to the Industrial IoT Gateway using common industrial protocols.

The Avnet SmartEdge Industrial IoT Gateway will be available from the summer from Farnell element14 in Europe and Newark element14 in North America.

Premier Farnell, the Development Distributor, has published new research on the Internet of Things which confirms that hardware platforms have become an essential part of the early stage design process, enabling engineers to test their designs quickly and cost-effectively; and rapidly deliver proof of concept.

Survey result clearly shows design engineers using a range of hardware platforms to accelerate development pace and shorten time to the market. Results show 50% of developers use single board computers such as the Raspberry Pi or BeagleBone Black as they provide ready-to-use embedded development platforms for building end-products. Other developers advised that they used their own design platforms (27%) or development platforms provided by the silicon vendors (19%).

Respondents to the survey, undertaken by Premier Farnell in late 2018, also advised that they prefer to design a complete solution for edge-to-cloud-security themselves (58%), rather than relying on third-party providers. Security continues to be top on the list of developer considerations (52%). Developers understand the critical importance of choosing an IoT platform that efficiently, securely, and economically supports their IoT applications, rather than relying on external parties which can sometimes cost more to run and maintain.

Cliff Ortmeyer, Global Head of Solutions Development for Premier Farnell said: “Opportunities within the Internet of Things have grown as developers gain greater access to hardware and software solutions that allow them to bring products to market quickly. Premier Farnell provides access to an extensive range of development tools for IoT, and works with innovative providers to bring the latest for AI and security, including the SmartEdge Agile, adding intelligence at the edge with zero-code, to the Zymbit ZYMKEY 4i security module for plug-in security in connected devices.”

The need for common standards and policies was also highlighted as key to accelerating the benefits of IoT. Interoperability (certified standards), connectivity standards, open standards and common privacy policies were all high on the list of developer wishes.

Research also suggested that opportunities within the Internet of Things will continue to grow. Key application areas expected to grow in the next five years include home automation, industrial automation & control and Artificial intelligence. The greatest perceived opportunity for benefits is seen in professional and industrial applications, with operational applications, including opportunities to collate data across entire operations to optimising workplace resources, reducing costs and driving business profitability.

The research was conducted between September and November 2018 with 1042 respondents across Europe, Americas and APAC. Full results of the survey, with additional insights on programming language use, communication method type, hardware components, cloud service providers and sensor technology are available to view at https://uk.farnell.com/global-iot-survey-2018.

Premier Farnell, the Development Distributor, is shipping the MATRIX Voice from MATRIX Labs, available from Farnell element14 in Europe, element14 in Asia Pacific and Newark element14 in North America. The MATRIX Voice enables users, makers, and developers to create IoT applications based on sound driven behaviours, quickly and efficiently.

As the Internet of Things continues to expand, the prospect of developing unique IoT solutions should excite makers, engineers, and hobbyists. However, the process of successfully integrating artificial intelligence, hardware, and software in order to create a viable solution can be both expensive and time-consuming. The MATRIX Voice aims to lower the barriers to entry for the creation and deployment of IoT voice applications.

Powered by a Raspberry Pi computer or used as a standalone device with the ESP32, the MATRIX Voice specifically targets the development of voice recognition and detection projects, allowing users to utilise existing platforms such as Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa, or any other voice recognition API. The platform gives users the ability to integrate custom voice and hardware-accelerated machine learning easily into their applications. Beamforming, noise cancellation, far-field speech recognition, and de-reverberation capabilities ensure high quality performance for all voice applications.

Hari Kalyanaraman, Global Head of Emerging Businesses for Premier Farnell said: “As the Development Distributor, we strive to provide our customers with the very latest technology to help them as they bring their products to market. Platforms such as the MATRIX Voice give makers and entrepreneurs a real head start, enabling them to shrink their product development cycle and accelerate time to market.”

Rodolfo Saccoman, CEO and Co-Founder of MATRIX Labs says : “At MATRIX Labs, we aim to democratize the intersection between hardware, AI, and software. We have created hardware and accompanying operating systems to enable solutions, creations, and new companies to succeed. Instead of a company trying to build their own board, they can package our MATRIX Voice, manufacture any kind of casing, and then take their product to market- fast."

The MATRIX Voice board, at 3.14 inches in diameter, features a Xilinx Spartan-6 FPGA, 64 Mbit SDRAM, a 8 MEMS microphone array, and 18 LEDs among other features including an optional Wi-Fi attachment. 64 GPIO expansion pins—40 of which are used to connect to a Raspberry Pi—allow for additional customization.

MATRIX Voice is available from Farnell element14 in Europe, element14 in Asia Pacific and Newark element14 in North America.

Premier Farnell, the Development Distributor, has added further new content to its IoT Hub. The IoT hub, available in English, French, German and Polish, contains a variety of IoT news items and feature stories, case studies, products, and interviews, as well as technical articles exploring the possibilities of IoT applications.

New content added to the hub includes:

• Design Choices for Bluetooth Low Energy – in Bluetooth’s fifth major release it is now possible to tune wireless communication to the precise needs of an application. The article covers the factors to consider when designing BLE into the end equipment from RF Antenna Options and prototcol support to API considerations.

• Wearable technology: what exactly is it, and why is it so popular discusses the latest innovations in the wearables market from intelligent clothing and smart jewellery to smart tattoos before looking at design approaches currently available to systems developers

• What’s going on in the Internet of Things? looks at four key areas of the Internet of Things ecosphere – sensors, power management, security and connectivity, reporting on some of the latest and most exciting developments in each, before discussing the relationship between IoT and Artificial Intelligence (AI) and how the use of Cloud technology can help facilitate future and more ambitious IoT projects.

In addition to the above articles, visitors to the IoT hub can read guest features from Murata Europe, Correctly selected connectivity is essential to an effective Internet of Things, and ARM, Extending the battery-life of an IoT BLE device. Murata Europe looks at how key communication technologies have evolved to meet the complex, and sometimes challenging needs of the IoT as well as revealing a hardware solution that will significantly ease the design task. ARM takes a close look at the L-Tek FF1502, a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) based sensor tag which operates as a broadcaster or beacon; the article explains how to optimize the battery lifetime of an application running on the beacon by using the ULINKplus debug adapter that enables high-precision power analysis together with Arm® Keil® MDK.

To read these and other articles visit http://uk.farnell.com/internet-of-things

Premier Farnell, the Development Distributor, has added new content to the IoT Hub providing new insights into the role of the Internet of Things in a number of fast-moving areas, along with an animated infographic that summarises the services provided by the company and shows how they can help users’ projects come to life.

The IoT Hub, a major section of the company website, contains a variety of IoT feature stories, case studies, products, and interviews, as well as technical articles exploring the possibilities of IoT applications.

“Premier Farnell’s dedicated resource for the IoT offers unique content on interesting topics that will prove thought-provoking to our customers,” says Steve Carr, Global Head of Marketing for Premier Farnell “The IoT Hub includes exciting technical resources covering IoT applications, as well as information on a wide range of IoT-ready products to help launch customers’ IoT applications.”

Just some of the latest content to be posted to the IoT Hub includes:

• Internet of robotic things: This feature focuses on how robotics is becoming a trend in businesses, the different types of robots available, and how they can be implemented in different areas including warehouses and deliveries. It also covers robotic/human relationships and the future implications for society of new robotic developments: http://uk.farnell.com/internet-of-robotic-things

• Does the IoT really need the Internet: Looking at IoT devices and whether or not they require the Internet to function. Amongst other things, this article looks at rural communities and how IoT devices can work in these regions, as well as devices and applications that benefit from lower-performance networks: http://uk.farnell.com/does-the-iot-really-need-the-internet

• Smart speakers: A feature covering different smart speakers available on the market, their specifications and their benefits. It also looks closely at what other components and devices (the Raspberry Pi, for example), are used with these smart speakers: http://uk.farnell.com/smart-speakers

• Why SBCs and Development Kits are Essential in Enabling IoT: Looking at development platforms - how they have evolved over recent years and their role in the IoT: http://uk.farnell.com/sbcs-development-kits-essential-in-iot

The new animated infographic shows the services that Premier Farnell provides for its customers by following a typical project development scenario, the requirements a designer has at various stages of the project, and how these needs can be fulfilled by Premier Farnell as the Development Distributor: www.farnell.com/uk/make-your-idea-come-to-life/

Farnell element14, the Development Distributor, has launched local language versions of its IoT Hub, a major section of the company’s website containing a variety of IoT news items, feature stories and technical articles exploring the possibilities of IoT applications. At the same time, a range of new content has been added to the site.

The new languages added to the IoT Hub, which until now has been available only in English, are Polish, German and French. Local language content can now be found on the company’s local web sites in Poland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and France.

“This expansion in the range of languages is a major step that reflects Farnell element14’s commitment to its European customers”, says Steve Carr, Global Head of Marketing for Premier Farnell. “The Internet of Things is a vital part of our business, and we will continue to invest in developing this resource for the future.”

The new content available on the IoT Hub includes:

• Wireless Solutions: Part 2 – Bluetooth

• pureLi-Fi Q&A: an interview with pureLi-Fi CEO Alistair Banham

• Development Solutions for IoT: an overview of development kits and evaluation modules targeting IoT applications.

• LoraWAN – 101: An Overview on one of the trendiest IoT Technologies Presently

Future content scheduled for the IoT Hub includes: Wireless Solutions: part 3 – WiFi; a Xilinx feature; and articles on IoT in the supply chain, in transportation, and in the Smart City.

The Farnell element14 web sites with IoT Hub translations are:

• Poland: http://pl.farnell.com/internet-of-things

• Germany: http://de.farnell.com/internet-of-things

• Austria: http://at.farnell.com/internet-of-things

• Switzerland: http://ch.farnell.com/internet-of-things

• France: http://fr.farnell.com/internet-of-things

Premier Farnell, the Development Distributor, has added new content to its IoT Hub providing new insights into the role of the Internet of Things in smart factories, IoT security, AI in IoT infrastructure, smart sensors, and wireless solutions.

The IoT hub, a major section of the company website, contains a variety of IoT news items and feature stories, case studies, products, and interviews, as well as technical articles exploring the possibilities of IoT applications.

The new content on Smart Factories covers the concepts of the Smart Factory, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and Industry 4.0, and shows how many organisations are implementing them now as well as investing significantly for the future. Productivity, flexibility and safety are the key goals, aided by developments in technologies such as automatic guided vehicles (AGVs) and robotics.

These machines must function as nodes on the factory network while performing their tasks with speed, accuracy, flexibility, safety and reliability. The new content from Farnell element14 has shown how designers are improving these aspects of AGV and robot performance, through the availability of advanced integrated circuits and support products from Farnell element14 which are allowing faster and better solutions to be developed for sensing, signal processing, local processing, power management and communications.

Other new content on the Premier Farnell IoT Hub includes the second and third in a series of articles on IoT security, covering Cloud considerations and infrastructure, respectively. The IoT increases cyber security risk, partly because it multiplies the number of data sources, entry points and data flow into a cloud resource and partly because IoT devices, unlike corporate computing equipment, are probably not in a physically or electronically secure environment.

These articles look at some of the ways in which security can be compromised and the measures that organisations can take to protect themselves, Key topics covered include prevention of hacking of IoT connected devices, protecting the data both on the devices and when it is being transmitted, securing devices against being copied, and authentication.

The role of artificial intelligence in the IoT infrastructure is also included in the new content on the Farnell element14 IoT Hub. This article starts by looking at what AI is, and what it could become. It then considers the current relationship between AI and the IoT, and how this is bringing benefits at all levels. It finishes with a roadmap that defines the possible future stages of AI development.

There is also a feature on Smart Sensors, this material describes how sensors have evolved from devices that simply convert physical variables into electrical signals into something more sophisticated to perform technically and economically viable roles within the IoT environment. It reviews the IoT’s expectations of its sensors – including what must be done to achieve the large sensor arrays characteristic of the IoT - and shows how manufacturers have responded, with improvements to fabrication, integration and built-in intelligence, culminating in the concept of the smart sensors now in wide use.

Finally, the new IoT Hub content includes the first of a series of articles on “Wireless solutions”, covering the LoRaWAN as an IoT network solution. LoRaWAN is a low-power wide-area network (LPWAN) specification that allows battery-powered devices to connect to an IoT network over a long range, using a low bandwidth, in a regional, national or global network. It is intended as a low-cost open standard with easy accessibility, and does not require WiFi-type passwords or mobile subscriptions.

This article discusses the nature of LoRaWAN and its underlying technology, and then shows how developers can start to engage with the standard with a currently available end-device chip and associated demonstration kit. It also gives an example of how designers and users can take advantage of LoRaWAN’s licence-free model to gain low-cost and simple access to the network.

Future IoT Hub content will include features on development solutions for IoT, “Wireless Solutions: Part 2 – Bluetooth”, and a question & answer session on Li-Fi in conjunction with developers pureLiFi.

Premier Farnell, The Development Distributor, has created an IoT Power Calculator that helps developers of IoT (Internet of Things) projects to understand the expected battery life of their IoT devices, and allows them to experiment with different components and software algorithms to determine their impact on battery life.

Battery power is in increasing demand in IoT applications incorporating sensor systems that collect data and pass the information to the cloud. Unlike many larger connected systems, these relatively small devices often do not have access to mains power. This means that they must have a means of powering themselves, something that is achieved using either batteries or energy harvesting.

Although an increasing number of applications can now be developed at the ultra-low power levels required for energy harvesting, many more are not suitable for this approach, and in such cases batteries are needed to power the system. Unlike products that use energy harvesting, batteries will need changing at some point, and with the cost of replacing batteries often higher than the cost of the IoT device itself, calculating battery lifetime is critical.

The calculator is easy to use and very quick to produce a result. Users enter basic parameters about their hardware – including different types of microcontroller and batteries – and their software (how frequently the software wakes, and how many cycles the data capture/processing and communications operations require) and the calculator uses these inputs to work out the power consumption.

The result is a fast and convenient way to quickly estimate battery life for an IoT application: something that was previously difficult and time consuming, involving either the creation of a spreadsheet or manual calculations of battery life.

Steve Carr, Global Head of Marketing for Premier Farnell said: “We have a strong track record of working with design engineers to help them address the ever-changing design demands being created by an increasingly “connected” world. The Battery Life Calculator has been developed as tool to help address one of the critical challenges that need to be addressed when designing for IoT applications, and is just one of the many resources available in our Internet of Things Hub.

The calculator is available from Premier Farnell’s “Internet of Things Hub”: a one-stop web portal which includes news, views, articles and tools relating to IoT applications, including an article explaining the calculator and factors that impact battery life in IoT applications.

Farnell element14, the development distributor and online community of more than 400,000 design engineers, will showcase the new WaRP7, a development platform designed for IoT and wearables applications, as part of a series of seminars during its ‘NXP Smarter World Tour’ takeover in Brno-Slatina, Czech Republic on 12^th October 2016. The mobile ‘Smarter World Tour’ highlights small microcontrollers to powerful complex networking infrastructure through the most secured NFC solutions.

The event will provide the opportunity to look around the NXP truck, interact with 130 Internet of Things demos and attend seminars presented by Farnell element 14 and NXP:

• The Next Generation Internet of Things and Wearable Development Platform : Warp7 Presenter: Stephen Bell (Farnell element14, Technical Support Specialist - Embedded)
• NXP MCU/MPU ARM® Technology-Based Solutions overview (focus on Industrial Applications) Presenter: Pavel Michlicek (NXP FAE)
• NFC Solution – PN7120, the best plug'n play full NFC Solution Presenter: Stephen Bell (Farnell element14, Technical Support Specialist - Embedded)
• NXP Solutions for Connectivity and Wireless charging Presenters: Pavel Michlicek (NXP FAE) and Vaclav Halbich (NXP MCU System Engineer)
• Introduction to NXP Development Tools (KEx web and SDK package generator, Pin and Clock Tools) Presenter Michal Zan (NXP MCU System Engineer).

Individuals around the world have come to depend on Farnell element14 as the premiere source for new product information, project support and a place to interact with the industry’s leading experts and these seminars are an opportunity to take a first look at this latest technology for the wearables market.

The event will run from 9am to 4pm on 12^th October, on board the NXP truck, situated outside Honeywell’s offices in Brno-Slatina. To find out more and register for this free event please click here.

For more information about WaRP7, visit www.element14.com/WaRP7. To learn more about Farnell element14’s offerings, visit http://uk.farnell.com/nxp

Farnell element14 are hosting this ‘Smarter World Tour Takeover’ as part of their sponsorship of the NXP Smarter World Tour.

Notes to editors

Seminars will be presented in local languages with the exception of “The Next Generation Internet of Things and Wearable Development Platform : Warp7” which will be presented in English

For additional information about the Smarter World Tour, click here

A short film about the NXP World Tour and its partners is available here

The Farnell element14 ‘Smarter World Tour’ takeover will take place onboard the NXP truck, situated outside Honeywell offices, Turanka 1387/100, 627 00 Brno-Slatina, Czech Republic.

element14 is now stocking the EnOcean Switch Design Kit, developed in collaboration with element14 and 3YOURMIND, the online portal for accessing professional 3D print services. The kit allows users to create a customizable switch, based on design data provided by EnOcean.

The EnOcean Switch Design Kit is an out-of-the-box, IoT ready kit that is flexible and cost effective. It allows an entry point to revolutionary technology for experimentation and prototype applications by innovators from business or the maker community.

The design utilizes energy harvesting technology, removing most of the design and application barriers to allow for rapid deployment of the concept and technology. Energy harvesting technology uses energy from movement, light and temperature to power sensors and radio communications with ambient energy.

For the maker market, this represents a significant opportunity. Rather than managing complex wiring within designs, the self-powered device from EnOcean can simply be placed into an existing installation. The switch application enables flexible lighting control in places without cables. Switches can easily be added where they are needed, for example, next to a bed, and the partnership with 3YOURMIND, means that switches can designed to seamlessly integrate into the end design, without the ‘made by hand’ look.

The EnOcean Switch Design Kit is available from Farnell element14 in the UK and mainland Europe. 3D Printed components can be directly ordered from 3YOURMIND.

You can read more about the EnOcean Switch Design Kit on the element14 community and element14 design center.

Set to be a game changer for the Internet of Things (IoT) and wearables market, the WaRP7 development platform enhanced by NXP® Semiconductors, designed and manufactured in partnership with element14 is now available to buy. Built from the ground up to address key challenges for design engineers such as size, battery life and connectivity, the open source design and complete software package of WaRP7 allows developers to innovate without licensing restrictions, reducing time to market and moving focus to product differentiation in this rapidly growing market. The continual focus on smaller, lighter and more powerful components has expanded this market creating new opportunities for design engineers.

The rapidly growing IoT market presents new challenges and is forcing a change in the industry, pushing design and manufacturing into unchartered territory. WaRP7 is built to meet the needs of a broad range of applications including smart home, sports and heart rate monitors and wearables.

Features include:

• Battery Life: WaRP7 is based on the NXP i.MX 7Solo applications processor. The unique heterogeneous multicore architecture enables low-power modes critical for most IoT and wearable designs, but also provides the power to drive a higher-level operating system and a rich user interface.

• Connectivity: WaRP7 offers a variety of connectivity options enabling a wide range of usage models including near-field communications. The Murata®-type 1DX multi-radio module offers 802.11b/g/n + Bluetooth 4.1, classic and low energy.

• Usability: WaRP7 is flexible enough to offer all the advantages of traditional development tools and is free of licensing restrictions due to its open-source design.

• Miniaturization: WaRP7 is one of the smallest development system with the size of its main CPU board of approximately 2 x 4 centimetres.

WaRP7 is based on the NXP i.MX 7Solo applications processor that features an advanced implementation of the ARM® Cortex®-A7 core, as well as the ARM® Cortex®-M4 core. It comes with features such as on-board sensors, connectivity including NFC, Bluetooth®, Bluetooth Smart and Wi-Fi®, and on-board external LPDDR3 memory. WaRP7 offers rich multimedia capability with access to MIPI-DSI display port, on-board camera and audio features. It is highly integrated with on-board sensors, rechargeable battery and power circuitry.

WaRP7 eases development effort for software developers with access to Linux and supports extensive UI capabilities and connectivity stacks. WaRP7 is truly expandable with the MikroBus™ expansion socket opening users to over 200 compatible Click Boards™.

WaRP7 is backed by the development community, design and manufacturing capabilities of element14 and is available from element14. For more information, visit www.element14.com/WaRP7.

element14, a high-service global electronics distributor and online community of more than 400,000 design engineers, will showcase the new WaRP7, a development platform designed for IoT and wearables applications at the NXP™ FTF Technology Forum. Taking place May 16-19 at the JW Marriott in Austin, Texas, the event will bring together a network of 2,000 embedded enthusiasts to inspire, train and share their expertise around the ecosystem of the global marketplace.

WaRP7 is a powerful, low-cost platform designed for rapid prototyping and reducing time to market. It is optimized, comes in a tiny form factor and yet remains flexible enough to offer all the advantages of traditional development tools. It has been architected and designed from the ground up to address key challenges in the IoT and wearables markets, such as battery life, connectivity, user experience and miniaturization. WaRP7 is based on the NXP i.MX 7Solo applications processor that features an advanced implementation of the ARM® Cortex®-A7 core, as well as the ARM® Cortex®-M4 core. It comes with features such as on-board sensors, connectivity including NFC, Bluetooth®, Bluetooth Smart and Wi-Fi® and on-board external LPDDR3 memory. It eases development effort for software developers and supports extensive UI capabilities and connectivity stacks. element14 will showcase the new WaRP7 platform alongside other element14-designed, NXP development boards at booth 415.

The open source design of WaRP7 allows developers to take the platform as a starting point and innovate without licensing restrictions. Target applications for the platform include smart home, sports and heart rate monitors and wearables. WaRP7 is truly expandable with the MikroBus™ expansion socket opening users to over 200 compatible Click Boards™. WaRP7 is backed by the development community, design and manufacturing capabilities of element14.

element14 boasts the first and largest online community of design engineers and technology enthusiasts, with more than 400,000 active members and more than 2,000 new members joining each week. Individuals around the world have come to depend on element14 as the premiere source for new product information, project support and a place to interact with the industry’s leading experts. For suppliers, the element14 community presents a unique opportunity to connect with customers and gain critical insights into the real-world project needs of everyday engineers. For more information about WaRP7, visit www.element14.com/WaRP7. To learn more about element14’s offerings, visit http://www.element14.com/.

The WaRP7 software is also available for download from NXP Designs, the online portal for customers to access the latest open-source hardware and software reference designs and software solutions from NXP. NXP Designs provides access to information such as software, schematics and user documentation for quick use and customization. With new designs being added regularly, visit NXP Designs at www.nxp.com/NXPDesigns.

element14 and Sierra Wireless today announce the launch of the mangOH™ Green Open Hardware IoT Platform and mangOH™ kit.

The mangOH™ Green Open Hardware IoT Platform allows developers to test and prototype ideas quickly and take IoT solutions to market within weeks. The industry’s first complete sensor-to-cloud platform, it provides an all-in-one hardware, software and cloud-based solution for industrial IoT applications. Ideal for data logging in a remote location, the mangOH™ Green Open Hardware IoT Platform is perfectly suited for remote monitoring systems, as well as multiple sensor, IoT, and cloud-based applications.

At the heart of the board are two industrial-grade CF3 connectors to enable the use of either an AirPrime HL Series module or an AirPrime WP Series applications processor module from Sierra Wireless. The AirPrime WP Series cellular modem provides the device-to-cloud architecture enabling IoT developers to build a Linux-based product on a single module.

Key features of its hardware, software and cloud services include:

Hardware 

• Integrated ARM-based application processor with cellular modem and GPS
• Arduino and IoT Connector to add wireless, wired, and sensor technologies
• Battery enabled for low-power applications

Software 

• Legato open source Linux platform with robust connectivity APIs for accessing cloud and mobile network services

Cloud Services 

• Pre-integrated with the IoT Acceleration Platform from Sierra Wireless

The mangOH™ Green IoT Platform is also compatible with other open source initiatives to allow for easy and fast prototyping; these include NXP thread module, Linear Technology Dust Networks and Texas Instruments ZigBee, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth module.

The easiest way to get started is with the mangOH™ kit, which contains all of the components you need to get designing quickly. The kit contains a mangOH™ Green Base board, as well as a WP8548 module with Cortex A5 application processor, GNSS receiver and 3G modem, socket cover and release tool, two Breakout Board IoT Connectors, a power supply unit, antennas and USB cable.

Sierra Wireless is running a one hour webinar entitled ‘Using open source technologies to rapidly build secure IoT devices’ on 24th May 2016 at 5pm GMT. The event is sponsored by element14. To register please use the following link: https://webinar.techonline.com/2007?keycode=CAA1EC

These new kits are the latest in element14’s diverse variety of solutions ranging from starter kits to complete development boards, including the newest releases and exclusive bundles at its Design Center; www.element14.com/designcenter

For more details, downloads and to participate in discussions on mangOH Green go to: https://www.element14.com/community/docs/DOC-80845

The mangOH™ Green IoT Platform is available from Farnell element14 in Europe, Newark element14 and North America, and element14 in Asia.

Notes to editors

The mangOH development kit contains:

• a mangOH Green base board as well
• a WP8548 module with Cortex A5 application processor, GNSS receiver, and 3G modem
• CF3™ socket cover (to lock the module in the CF3 socket)
• CF3™ release tool (to remove the module from the CF3 socket)
• Breakout Board IoT Connector x 2 (sliders assembled)
• Power Supply Unit (PSU)
• Antennas
• USB cable

element14 today announces its partnership with Startupbootcamp IoT | Connected Devices, a new dedicated Internet of Things (IoT) accelerator programme from Startupbootcamp, the global network of industry-focused accelerators. Through this partnership, element14 will work with the programme to provide unprecedented support to IoT and hardware startups from across the world.

The accelerator programme, which launched on 2 March 2016, is seeking applications from startups across the world with a focus on innovation in Consumer or Industrial IoT, for example, Wearables, the Connected Home, Industrial IoT and Smart Retail.

Ten startups will be selected to engage in an intensive three-month programme starting in September 2016, with each one receiving €15,000 and guidance and support from mentors, partners and investors, including element14. The programme will take place in a brand new, 70,000 sq ft fast prototyping lab at Cocoon Networks in London.

As a corporate partner, element14 will play an integral role in supporting the startups in taking their initial concepts through to a finished product, in an aggressive three-month development process.

As a leader in the global electronics market, element14 can provide a range of products and services to support the IoT and hardware startups, together with extensive technical expertise and an established global channel to market:

• An extensive range of hardware products and components available to help startups build an IoT solution
• Expertise and consultancy in electronics design and build - critical for IoT innovators with a software background requiring support for hardware solutions
• Advanced electronic engineering and hardware design services
• Creation of prototypes right through to volume manufacturing
• Access to the engineering expertise, ideas and support of the 400,000 members of the element14 Community

At the end of the three-month acceleration, the programme’s startups will pitch their company to 250+ investors and mentors on a Demo Day, set to take place on 7 December 2016.

Startups can apply for the Startupbootcamp IoT | Connected Devices programme here.  Applications close 13 June 2016.

Using the popular Raspberry Pi single board computer, these out-of-the-box, IoT-ready starter kits are flexible and cost-effective gateways to developing intelligent building products for hospitals, homes, airports and other venues on the way to a seamlessly connected IoT. The Entrepreneur kit is more technical in nature, for ‘makers,’ engineers and start-ups, while the Enterprise model caters to facilities mangers, property owners and property management companies.

The Entrepreneur solution includes EnOcean self-powered sensors, a Raspberry Pi and EnOcean Pi boards from element14, and provides access to the IBM Watson IoT Platform and Bluemix services from IBM. The Enterprise model includes EnOcean OEM self-powered sensors and EnOcean Gateway from element14, as well as access to software and services from IBM including IBM’s Watson IoT Platform and IBM TRIRIGA facilities management software.

EnOcean’s energy harvesting wireless technology provides self-powered, wireless sensors to capture and transmit data across an increasingly connected IoT network. They use miniaturized energy converters, which gain energy from motion, light and temperature of the surrounding environment, allowing the sensors to work without batteries, and are maintenance-free. The converters, together with wireless modules, comprehensive energy management and ultra-low power radio communication offer OEMs a complete energy harvesting platform.

The IBM Watson IoT Platform allows organizations to securely and easily connect devices, from chips and intelligent appliances to applications and industry solutions. Scaling through cloud-based services and using rich analytics, the IBM Watson IoT Platform provides organizations with new insight for innovation and transformation. IBM TRIRIGA provides a single system to manage the lifecycle of facilities. Its integrated workplace management system increases the operational, financial and environmental performance of facilities.

Both products are expected to be available early April, from Newark element14 in North America, Farnell element14 in Europe and element14 in Asia-Pacific. Engineers and buyers can access a wide range of technical information, tools and resources regarding the kits on element14’s Community and Design Center.

To learn more about the collaboration between element14, IBM and EnOcean, please visit element14.com.