IoT news of the week for December 17, 2021

Radar-based health monitoring startup scores $10M: Toronto-based Xandar Kardian has closed a $10 million Series A funding round led by Phoenix Venture Partners, Portfolia Active Aging & Longevity Fund, and Taronga Ventures after a busy year for the startup. Xandar Kardian, which I profiled back in February, makes a device that uses radar to monitor patients’ breathing rates and heartbeats, and could even be used to monitor for falls. In April, the company received FDA certification as a Class II medical device, which means that hospitals and nursing facilities could legitimately rely on the Xander Kardian sensor to monitor patients without requiring them to wear a device. This is a big step forward for people monitoring and is a welcome use for radar technology beyond consumer-grade sleep tracking, as the Google Soli radar does in the most recent Nest Hub display. (Mass Device) — Stacey Higginbotham

LeakBot, a leak sensor solution for insurers, files to go public: Looks like the Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC) craze is happening overseas as well as in the US. LeakBot, a London-based company has filed to go public via a reverse merger. LeakBot makes a leak detection device that doesn’t require professional installation. The company already has deals with several UK insurance companies and its entire business model is built around providing its technology for the insurance market. Given the potential for saving property owners some pain and insurers some claims, I love that LeakBot is finding success. IoT has huge potential in the insurance space, once insurers decide to adopt it. (Tech Startups) — Stacey Higginbotham

Good news for hackers, bad news for us: Researchers have managed to hack devices by pointing a laser at the LEDs on them and sending data that changes the device firmware. This type of attack can occur at a distance of 25 meters, which is far enough to be worrisome but can only transmit data at 128 kbps, which is pretty limited. The laser does need a line of sight, so an attacker would have to be visible, and it also requires the firmware of the device to be manipulated beforehand. So this isn’t a casual hacking methodology, but it’s easy to imagine a spy hacking a device with a laser while standing near it and casually talking to someone. Head over to Twitter for a link to the research paper to learn more. (Twitter) — Stacey Higginbotham

Bring on the biodegradable batteries: Researchers at NTU Singapore have created a 4-centimeter by 4-centimeter, flat battery capable of powering a small electric fan for 45 minutes. The coolest part of this device is that when the battery dies if you bury it, it decomposes into a mess of cellulose and zinc. In addition to being biodegradable, the battery is flexible, making it potentially useful for wearable devices or fabrics. Although the batteries might not survive in the wash cycle. (NTU Singapore) — Stacey Higginbotham

Alphabet’s smart city division is moving into Google: After six years of trying to architect smart cities, Alphabet’s Sidewalk Labs is taking a bit of a detour. This week, Sidewalk Labs CEO Dan Doctoroff announced the news as along with his departure. Sadly, he’s leaving after being diagnosed with ALS. According to Doctoroff, next year “Sidewalk products Pebble, Mesa, Delve, and Affordable Electrification will join Google, becoming core to Google’s urban sustainability product efforts.” Hopefully those products find new purpose in their new home while Doctoroff tackles his health challenges head on. (Engadget) — Kevin C. Tofel

It’s finally easier to view camera events in the Nest app: I’ve long been amazed at how much easier it is to view event timelines of inexpensive cameras and video doorbells than in more costly models. Now, an update to the Nest interface in Google Home brings some parity. Once your Home app receives the update, you’ll be able to skip through different camera events with play/pause, back, and forward buttons. No more scrolling! (9to5 Google) — Kevin C. Tofel

Ring tipped to launch a glass break sensor: I wouldn’t be surprised to see a new Ring sensor debut at CES next month. Why? The latest Ring app for Android has a bunch of code saying that a Ring Glass Break sensor is in the works. While I could use Alexa Guard to listen for glass breakage, an actual sensor that can be placed next to a window or door would provide me more peace of mind when it comes to smart home security. (XDA Developers)  — Kevin C. Tofel

Comcast adds video doorbell to Xfinity Home: Comcast has moved beyond being a cable provider to become an entertainment, broadband, and home security company. To keep its Xfinity Home security offering competitive, it has added a video doorbell to the line of available products a Comcast technician will integrate and install for consumers. The doorbell costs $120 with a service contract and has motion sensing, a 4:3 aspect ratio, undefined HD video, and two-way audio. (Comcast) — Stacey Higginbotham