IoT news of the week for Feb. 3, 2023

Senet and Telli to use LoRaWAN for remote patient monitoring: Senet, a LoRaWAN network and managed software provider, has signed a deal with Telli Health that will allow remote patient monitoring in communities lacking high-quality broadband coverage. Telli Health is building a LoRaWAN-capable patient monitoring system and will use Senet’s software to build its own LoRaWAN networks where needed. (Senet) — Stacey Higginbotham

C3 adds generative AI capabilities with new product: Thomas Siebel’s continuously morphing enterprise software company C3 AI has launched a new product that rides the hype around generative AI. (Think DALL-E, Stable Diffusion, and ChatGPT.) The C3 Generative AI Product Suite will integrate with existing generative AI services and let business users use natural language to sort and retrieve enterprise data. I often think C3 overstates its capabilities and its reliance on AI, but I do think overlaying existing services such as ChatGPT on a relatively accurate database of enterprise data will be useful. This could be a true use case where C3 is applying AI to make delivering insights from data easier. (C3 AI) — Stacey Higginbotham

Where can satellites replace on-the-ground sensors? Orbital Sidekick, a company that is using satellite-based imaging to track oil pipeline leaks, has raised $10 million in funding. I found the company interesting because it is using hyperspectral sensing from space to track pipeline leaks, as opposed to putting physical sensors on a pipeline or even using something like drones. Orbital’s technology is just one of several that use satellite imaging to replace or augment ground-based sensors to track something. For example, I’ve talked to farmers using satellite imagery to track soil moisture as opposed to in-ground sensors, because local sensors needed connectivity that wasn’t available and because in-ground sensors were often stolen or destroyed. This got me wondering what other industries could replace localized sensing with satellite-based options. (TechCrunch) — Stacey Higginbotham

AI meets IoT in ag-tech acquisition: CropX Technologies, which makes hardware and software for farm management, has acquired Tule Technologies, a precision irrigation company based in California. Terms of the deal were undisclosed, but the deal will bring in new data and a new sensor to CropX’s suite of products. CropX uses crop sensing data and soil monitoring to provide farms with advice on irrigation, plant health and more. Tule grabs data from above the field using a custom-designed sensor that can pinpoint the proper amount of water necessary for specific crops. CropX is apparently on roll (or a roll up), having acquired three other ag-tech companies since 2020. (CropX) — Stacey Higginbotham

Bacteria-filled batteries could power future sensors: After years of research, the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Binghamton University’s Thomas J. Watson College of Engineering and Applied Science may have cracked the case on bacteria-powered batteries. A project to create modular batteries that use bacterial digestion byproducts now creates power for weeks at a time. Until now, all attempts at these bio-batteries fizzed out in a few hours. The modular approach allows for stacking and connecting multiple packs of bacteria to product a set amount of voltage and current. It sounds great, but I think I’d rather replace batteries than pop in some more bacteria. (Brighter Side of News) — Kevin C. Tofel

SimpliSafe can yell at thieves in your house: I suppose this is a desirable concept, but I’m not completely sold on it. The newest SimpliSafe Smart Alarm Wireless Indoor Security Camera gives monitoring agents the ability to speak to intruders in your home. It’s a beta test for now and requires the company’s Interactive Monitoring subscription plan. If I was breaking into a home, I don’t know that a live agent yelling at me over a camera would get me to leave. Then again, I don’t go where I don’t belong. So maybe some intruders would scram if they heard a live, but remote, voice. (The Verge)  — Kevin C. Tofel

Nova Labs becomes an IoT solutions provider: Nova Labs might not ring a bell, but I’ll bet Helium does. That’s the decentralized IoT network arm of Nova Labs, which relies on users (like me) to build out a low-powered wireless network for IoT devices. Now Nova Labs is getting into the IoT solutions game, this week announcing its new 1663 business division. The idea is to get more sensors using the Helium network, which really hasn’t made much money from IoT device data transmissions. Indeed, the news release specifically notes that 1663 will “help large enterprises deploy solutions on the Helium Network.” Since 1663 just launched, we’ll have to see if it attracts any customers for the Helium network going forward. (Nova Labs)  — Kevin C. Tofel