That’s exactly what Lift AI accomplished when they remotely transformed their nationwide elevator management platform. Lift AI operates devices installed in elevator shafts, continuously monitors performance and detects anomalies to enable predictive maintenance for building owners and maintenance companies. 

When Lift AI needed to completely replace the firmware stack on thousands of deployed devices, transforming them from CircuitPython-based systems to production-grade Zephyr RTOS, they turned to Croxel for what would become a remote “brain transplant” for their fleet. 

Croxel, a Blues-accredited partner, specializes in complex embedded systems transformations, particularly in scenarios where traditional approaches fall short. They focus on architectural migrations that require deep technical expertise, making them the perfect partner to help Lift AI transform its devices. 

The Challenge: Complete Platform Transformation at Scale 

What happens when “it’s not you, it’s me” becomes “it’s not me, it’s the entire technology stack”? Lift AI’s original CircuitPython-based platform had served them well during rapid development and deployment phases. However, as their fleet grew and customer demands evolved, they needed a more robust, scalable foundation. The goal was to transition to Zephyr RTOS for improved performance, enhanced power efficiency, and deterministic operation. 

The constraints were significant: Lift AI has devices installed in active elevator shafts, getting physical access would disrupt the service of those elevators and be expensive. Since elevator monitoring is critical for safety and maintenance, the transformation had to occur without interrupting data flow from these devices. 

This wasn’t a typical firmware update. It required replacing the entire technology stack, the runtime environment, memory architecture, hardware interfaces, and communication protocols, all while maintaining compatibility with existing cloud infrastructure. 

Future Proof Hardware Design: Blues Notecard 

Sometimes the best decisions are the ones you don’t know you’re making. Lift AI had integrated Blues Notecards into their devices, an intelligent connectivity module that provided the infrastructure needed for the remote transformation: 

• Secure cellular connectivity for delivering the new firmware 
• Independent operation from the host processor, creating an air gap 
• Maintained communication throughout the transition 
• Automatic failover capabilities if issues arose 

“We chose Blues early on because we knew connectivity would be critical, but we never imagined it would enable us to completely transform our platform remotely,” said Rob Wurth, CEO of Lift AI. “Being able to do a full remote brain transplant of all of our devices saved us countless dollars in new hardware as well as the engineering time it would have taken to physically replace every device.” 

Finding the Right Partner: Croxel’s Specialized Expertise 

Lift AI successfully deployed their fleet of devices that utilized Blues Notecards. Here’s where Croxel came in to provide experience with CircuitPython, Zephyr RTOS, Blues and building critical systems that made the transformation possible. 

Working with a partner gave Lift AI access to technical expertise they didn’t have and reduced the risk of experiencing common pitfalls. Allowing Lift AI to focus on their core business of elevator management. 

Albert Garvett, CEO and Co-Founder at Croxel shared, “When Lift AI approached us with this unprecedented challenge, they weren’t just looking for firmware developers. They needed partners who could envision and execute what many would consider impossible.’”

Here’s what Croxel enabled for the Lift AI fleet:  

• Every device in Lift AI’s fleet successfully migrated to Zephyr RTOS remotely 
• Zero downtime during the transition 
• Enhanced platform capabilities including improved response times and power efficiency 
• Hundreds of thousands of dollars saved by avoiding technician visits 
• Future-proofed architecture ready for continued evolution 

Redefining Fleet Management 

Lift AI and Croxel demonstrate that IoT devices in the field aren’t locked into their original technology choices. By choosing future-proof foundational technologies, even fundamental architectural changes can be deployed remotely. 

Here’s some additional benefits of remote fleet management: 

• Investment Protection: IoT companies make a significant investment in physical hardware, provisioning and deploying devices to the field. Instead of replacement, this hardware’s lifespan can be extended through platform evolution. 
• Technology Adaptation: Technology is evolving rapidly, as are regulations around connected devices. Companies who can update their devices remotely can remain cutting edge, competitive and compliant. 
• Operational Efficiency: Remote transformation capabilities reduce the risks and costs associated with physically swapping out your devices, including the cost of downtime.  

This represents a shift from viewing connectivity as an endpoint to treating it as one component of an intelligent system that can evolve over time. 

The Future is Transformable 

The project establishes a new paradigm: Smart fleets that can fundamentally transform without physical intervention. Companies that understand this capability can adapt to technological changes faster than competitors locked into static platforms. 

Ready to explore remote fleet transformation? Join our Fireside Chat with the team at Croxel, where we will discuss how they transformed Lift AI’s fleet without touching any hardware, on Wednesday, August 6th at 1 PM ET / 6 PM BST. 

The session will cover how Blues Notecard enables platform evolution, security essentials for remote updates, and strategies for maximizing hardware investments. 

Register now to learn the approach that made Lift AI’s transformation possible. 

The post Protect Your Hardware Investment: How Lift AI Remotely Transformed Their Platform with Blues and Croxel appeared first on Blues.

At Blues, we’ve built an extensive ecosystem of trusted partners experienced in successfully bringing connected products to market using our technology stack. These partners have already navigated the complex challenges of connected product development, allowing you to benefit from their hard-won experience rather than starting from scratch. While many companies initially consider the DIY approach, our partners’ specialized knowledge can be the difference between a successful product launch and costly setbacks. 

The Hidden Complexity of Building Connected IoT Products 

Creating a piece of hardware is hard; creating a wirelessly connected device is deceptively complex. What might initially seem like a straightforward engineering project can quickly become overwhelming as challenges emerge: 

• Wireless connectivity hurdles: Selecting the right connectivity technology (cellular, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, LoRaWAN) for your specific application, handling complex certification processes, and ensuring reliable connections in unpredictable environments. 

• Hardware-software integration: Bridging the gap between physical components and digital systems while optimizing for power consumption, size constraints, and environmental conditions. 

• Data security vulnerabilities: Implementing robust encryption, secure boot processes, and over-the-air update capabilities to protect sensitive information and prevent unauthorized access. 

• Scalability challenges: Designing both the device and backend infrastructure to handle growing data volumes and user bases without performance degradation. 

• Certification and compliance: Navigating the maze of regional certifications (FCC, CE, IC), carrier approvals for cellular devices, and industry-specific compliance requirements. 

Coming up against one of these challenges can quickly derail IoT projects’ budgets and timelines, or cause them to never reach the start line. The good news? You don’t have to face these obstacles alone. 

Debunking Common Misconceptions About Working with Partners 

Before diving into the benefits of working with a Blues partner, let’s address some common misconceptions that might be holding you back: 

“We’ll lose control of our product vision.” Quality partners enhance your vision rather than replace it. They bring your ideas to life while respecting your ownership of the concept and final decisions. 

“It costs more than doing it ourselves.” While there’s an upfront investment, the DIY approach often leads to costly trial-and-error, hiring specialists, delays, and rework that typically exceeds partner fees. Our partners help you avoid these hidden costs. 

“I don’t need someone to build the whole product.” Partners aren’t here to take over; whether you need support from the first day of development to deliver your product at scale or a single step in the process, partners are here to meet your needs. 

“Adding another party will slow us down.” Experienced partners actually accelerate development by eliminating learning curves and leveraging established processes, components, and frameworks. 

“We need to build this expertise in-house for the long term.” Strategic partnerships allow you to focus on your core competencies while accessing specialized skills as needed, often a more efficient approach than developing every capability in-house. 

“Partners won’t understand our specific industry challenges.” Many Blues partners specialize in particular industries and bring valuable cross-sector insights that can enhance your product’s market fit. 

Now that we’ve cleared up these misconceptions, let’s explore how a Blues partner can transform your product development journey through accelerated time-to-market, reduced risk, and specialized expertise. 

Accelerate Your Time to Market 

The connected product space waits for no one. Research shows that time-to-market for IoT products has increased by 80% in just four years, making speed more critical than ever. 

When you work with a Blues partner, you gain immediate access to proven architectures and development frameworks that eliminate the trial-and-error phase that often plagues in-house teams. This means: 

• Getting your product in customers’ hands faster 

• Beating competitors to market and establishing your position 

• Collecting valuable user feedback earlier to refine your offering 

• Maximizing your revenue potential with a quicker launch 

• Lowering overall development costs through efficiency 

Instead of spending months researching components and building infrastructure from scratch, you can leverage established solutions that our partners have already optimized for performance and reliability. 

Accelerating time to market was a major benefit to the team at True Manufacturing when they discovered Blues. Dominik Gothe, Team Lead, Electrical and Embedded Systems at True Manufacturing said, “True sought out Blues because we knew what we wanted but our previous IoT pilots had failed. With the Blues solution, we were in pilot within 120 days.” 

Minimize Risk at Every Stage 

The statistics are sobering: 72% of IoT projects fail. Beyond that, IoT data breaches have exposed billions of records, and attacks on connected devices continue to rise year over year. 

Blues partners help manage these risks through: 

• Integration of proven components that have passed rigorous testing 

• Implementation of security best practices from day one 

• Experience navigating certification processes (which can be a major stumbling block) 

• Scalable architectures that grow with your business 

• Reduced prototype failure rates through experienced design approaches 

By working with experts who have successfully navigated these challenges before, you avoid the common pitfalls that lead to budget overruns, security vulnerabilities, and certification delays. 

Dan Wang, the owner of Pulsar Labs, a Blues partner, has leveraged his teams experience using Blues to enable multiple companies to get their products to market, he said, “Blues has a very attractive technology offering for our enterprise IoT clients. Their Notecard product is flexible and easy to integrate, extremely low power, and includes cellular data. Working with Blues, our team has designed and shipped many IoT products that weren’t possible before.” 

Tap Into Specialized Expertise 

Building a connected product requires a diverse set of skills that few companies have entirely in-house. According to recent research, the skills shortage is one of the biggest barriers to IoT adoption globally. 

Consider the expertise needed: hardware design, embedded programming, cloud architecture, security protocols, wireless connectivity, power management, UX design, and more. Blues partners bring this comprehensive skill set to your project, offering: 

• Immediate access to specialized knowledge without costly hiring processes 

• Teams that work seamlessly together, having collaborated on previous projects 

• Experience across the entire product development lifecycle 

• Troubleshooting capabilities that prevent common mistakes 

• Focus on your core business while experts handle the technical complexities 

The founder at Evexia Telehealth, Francois Koutchouk, told us how leveraging Blues allowed his team to focus on their area of expertise, “Over many years we have tried many IoT solutions. Only Blues solved the needs of our target market, allowing us to focus our innovation and our resources on the work that actually brings value to our customers and the patients who need it most in the communities.” 

Finding Your Ideal Blues Partner 

Every product and company has unique needs, which is why we’ve cultivated a diverse network of partners with various specializations. The right partner for you depends on your: 

• Product complexity and requirements 

• Timeline and budget constraints 

• Geographic location and target markets 

• Industry-specific compliance needs 

• In-house capabilities you’re looking to complement 

Ready to explore how a Blues partner can help bring your connected product to market faster and with less risk? Visit our partner catalog to find the right partner for you, or reach out for help to find your perfect match. 

Your product deserves the best chance at success. With a Blues partner, you gain the expertise, speed, and risk mitigation that turn great ideas into market-ready products. 

Additional Resources  

• Download the case study: How Blues partner Prodigy are accelerating connected product development 

• Watch the video: Hear from the CEO of Sento to learn how they transform hardware solutions 

• Read the blog: Discover how Geocene created an ocean monitoring device with SoFar  

The post Finding the Right Partner to Bring Your Product to Market: The Smart Choice for IoT Success appeared first on Blues.

This year at CES 2025, we’re showcasing solutions our partners have built with Blues. Swing by Booth #10271 in the IoT Infrastructure Section of the North Hall to see these game-changing products in action.

Meet our Partners 

HAE Innovations: Fighting Fires Smarter 

When it comes to fire safety, HAE Innovations has turned up the heat. Their heat-activated fire suppression system doesn’t just put out fires; it alerts the owner and the fire department via cellular data. It’s ideal for high-risk environments like machinery rooms, kitchens, or industrial spaces.  

Learn more about HAE Innovations 

Sento: Smarter Farming with Asimetrix Smartweight 

Farming is getting an upgrade. Sento’s Asimetrix Smartweight system uses machine learning to track the average weight of poultry flocks automatically. No more guesswork—farmers get accurate insights to optimize growth and animal welfare. Thanks to Blues Notecard and Notehub, all this vital data is sent seamlessly to the cloud, giving farmers actionable insights in real-time. 

Visit Sento’s Smart Farm 

Synaptron Systems: Tracking Medical Assets with Neuron++ 

Keep track of critical medical supplies with precision. Synaptron Systems’ Neuron++ makes utilizes Bluetooth-enabled temperature and light sensors, plus a GNSS/GPS module for real-time asset tracking. Using Blues Notecard and Notehub, the Neuron++ ensures life-saving materials—like blood products and temperature-sensitive medications—arrive safely where they’re needed. 

Explore Synaptron Systems 

Simple Injection: The Chemical Pump Revolution 

Chemical injection just got simpler. Simple Injection created an automated chemical pump that’s easy to install and packed with features like integrated tank monitoring and remote control. With Blues Notecard on board, it connects instantly to the cloud for unparalleled control and efficiency. 

Discover Simple Injection 

Industrie Intelligente: Predictive Maintenance with PrevSens 

PrevSens is a cutting-edge device designed for predictive maintenance of industrial equipment. The device gathers data including temperature, vibration, voltage, ultrasonic, and humidity. Leveraging AI, PrevSens processes this data to continuously monitor equipment and send alerts when it anticipates maintenance needs helping to avoid costly downtime. 

Learn more about Industrie Intelligente 

MassMelt: FlexxRTU for Extreme Environments 

Industrial environments demand rugged solutions, and MassMelt’s FlexRTU delivers. This remote telemetry unit monitors isolated deployments for over a decade, offering reliable sensor connectivity and data visualization—even in the harshest conditions. 

Explore MassMelt 

ByteLab: Fighting Noise Pollution with Earie 

ByteLab’s Earie is a window-mounted device that helps combat urban noise pollution. Equipped with a sensitive microphone, Earie collects noise data to help cities address this growing issue. Powered by Blues, it’s proof that even small devices can make a big impact. 

Visit ByteLab 

Prodigy: Custom IIoT Edge Compute Boards 

From pilot projects to full-scale production, Prodigy specializes in flexible IIoT edge compute boards tailored for industrial needs. With Blues Notecard built in, these boards support real-time processing and predictive maintenance, setting the stage for smarter, more efficient industrial operations. 

Explore Prodigy 

Geocene Inc.: Optimizes Fertilizer Distribution 

Agriculture meets embedded intelligence with Geocene’s BrewBot. Designed for Florida’s premier fertilizer supplier, it monitors fertilizer trailers, optimizing fleet utilization and reducing downtime from weeks to hours. With a built-in accelerometer and GPS in Blues Notecards, BrewBot ensures efficient operations and enhanced productivity and provides Wedgworth with real-time updates on its assets, enhancing operational productivity and significantly reducing downtime. The Notecard’s geolocation capability adds an extra layer of asset management that safeguards against equipment loss and misplacement. 

Learn more about Geocene 

Build with the Blues Partner Ecosystem 

Turning great ideas into intelligent, connected products can feel overwhelming. That’s why we’ve built a community of innovative partners who are experienced at transforming traditional products for the digital era – and we’d love to introduce you to them. 

If you’ll be at CES 2025, swing by Booth #10271 in the North Hall. We’re not just there to show off technology, but to connect, share stories, and understand how we might be able to help you solve real challenges. Whether you’re a seasoned engineer or just starting to explore intelligent device design, we’d enjoy hearing about your vision. 

Our partners have developed incredible solutions across industries, and we’re excited to show you what’s possible when smart people collaborate.

The post Say Hello to the Blues Partners Driving IoT Innovation at CES 2025 appeared first on Blues.

This new collaboration brings together the powerful capabilities of Blues’ connectivity solutions with Blynk’s versatile development platform, creating an efficient, streamlined way for developers to build, deploy, and manage their projects.

Build IoT Apps Without Writing a Single Line of Code

For many, building a mobile app to control or monitor IoT devices used to mean hiring a team of developers or learning complex programming languages. Not anymore. Blynk’s no-code platform lets Blues’ users create custom apps to manage their devices in just a few clicks. No coding, no headaches—just drag, drop, and deploy.

No-Code App Builder

Blynk’s app-building tools allow you to create powerful mobile applications without writing any code. Visualize real-time and historical data, and manage device settings all through a user-friendly interface.

Scalable Device Management

Once your devices are set up, Blynk’s intuitive dashboards make it easy to monitor and control them from anywhere. Whether you’re managing a handful of devices or thousands, the platform is designed to scale with your needs.

Secure Cloud Infrastructure

Blynk provides both private and public cloud options, supporting everything from small setups to large-scale operations with ease. Whether you need a dedicated environment or shared resources, Blynk’s cloud solutions are secure and designed to grow with your business.

Multi-Tenant User Management

The Blynk IoT platform features a multi-tenant user management system, offering secure and customizable access control. With Blynk, you can assign specific permissions and roles, ensuring that the right users have the right level of access.

Faster Time to Market

Blynk removes the barriers of traditional app development, letting you focus on building solutions and getting them to market faster. Forget about lengthy development cycles; your app could be ready to go live in a fraction of the time.

Once connected, Blynk can automatically import your Notehub devices into their Console environment.

And with your devices connected—you’re good to go! You can now leverage Blynk’s robust ecosystem of tools to build powerful dashboards, no-code mobile applications, and a whole lot more.

The easiest way to get started is with our new Blynk routing tutorial, which walks you through creating a free Blynk account, getting Blynk connected to Notehub, routing your data, and building your first dashboard.

Once you have the basics set up, refer to Blynk’s integration guide, which has further details on more advanced features, such as downlinking (the ability to send data from Blynk to your Notecard-powered devices) and device provisioning.

We can’t wait to see what you build. If you have any questions, or anything else you’d like to see us build with Blynk, get in touch and let us know.

The post Announcing an Official Integration With Blynk appeared first on Blues.

 This partnership started with the Notecarrier R, a product built to make it easy to integrate Notecard into an Arduino Portenta or MKR board solution.  

 But we didn’t stop there.  

 Today, we launched the Wireless for PLC,  a powerful expansion that brings the Notecard’s plug-and-play wireless connectivity to the Opta PLC ecosystem.  

 Before we get into why we engineered the Wireless for PLC and why it’s set to revolutionize industrial automation…  

 We invite you to learn more about our partnership while exploring Wireless for PLC by joining Blues and Arduino for a fireside chat on Wednesday, June 12, at 1pm ET. Register Now 

 Now, let’s explore Wireless for PLC. 

Solving the IT to OT Disconnect with Wireless Connectivity 

Together, Blues and Arduino set out to solve a critical challenge stifling the progression of industrial intelligence, building automation, and more — The disconnect between operational technology (OT) teams and information technology (IT) teams that all too often blocks brilliant OT applications from reaching production. 

 While these two departments often work harmoniously due to differing priorities and responsibilities, they usually find themselves in juxtaposed positions.  

 IT departments are tasked with managing, maintaining, and, above all, safeguarding enterprises’ technological infrastructure and systems. The success of these departments is measured by system uptime, SLA compliance, response time to threats, the overall number of security incidents, and more.  

 Contrast this with OTs primary responsibilities, and the disconnect is abundantly clear — OT is primarily focused on enhanced industrial efficiency, process optimization, and control system management — all of which often require connectivity and systems that fall under the purview of IT. 

 These competing priorities often stifle OT’s ability to innovate as they need to navigate intensive IT compliance and approval processes. 

 So, what’s the solution? How do we unlock OT innovation while satisfying IT’s requirements?  

 The answer is wireless connectivity over public networks like cellular or LoRa, and with the launch of the Wireless for PLC, that’s precisely what we’ve done.  

From Lotus Notes to Blues: Empowering Teams Through Connectivity 

In the early days of productivity software, products like Lotus Notes, Microsoft Access, and FrontPage sparked a revolution by offering teams and organizations methods of communication without having to rely on their own internal IT department. They had the freedom to set up their own technology and databases internally without waiting for IT to do it. This empowerment allowed marketing, operations, and product teams to take control of their systems and push progress at a rapid pace. 

Lotus Notes, created by Ray Ozzie, Founder & CEO of Blues, empowered teams to collaborate and innovate without the constraints of traditional IT departments. Notes combined email, calendaring, document sharing, and custom application development as an integrated platform, allowing teams to centralize their communication and streamline their business processes. This all-in-one approach eliminated the need for disparate platforms and reduced reliance on IT for essential productivity tools. 

Today, Blues and Arduino are leading a similar revolution, but rather than empowering human-to-human connections, wireless is empowering permissionless machine-to-machine cloud connectivity. 

Local networks like Bluetooth, Ethernet, and Wi-Fi are the domain of IT departments, prioritizing security and reliability above all else. These networks are critical infrastructure, connecting devices and systems within an organization and enabling data flow between them. However, this centralized control often comes at the cost of agility and the progress necessary to remain relevant and competitive. 

 If the revolution in productivity software taught us anything, emboldening teams to innovate on their own terms can lead to breakthroughs that transform entire industries. As wireless connectivity ushers in a new era of machine-to-cloud communication, OT can regain ownership of their technology and push their IIoT projects forward.   

Cellular Connectivity: The Key to OT Autonomy and Agility 

By leveraging wireless technologies like cellular, OT teams can deploy cloud-connected PLCs like the Arduino Opta without relying heavily on IT-controlled local networks like ethernet or Wi-Fi for their connectivity.  

Armed with secure wireless connectivity, OT teams can rapidly bring PLCs and sensors online to demonstrate the value of their IIoT use cases without requiring IT involvement. This newfound autonomy gives them the ability to quickly implement Proofs-of-Concept (PoCs) and pilots, allowing them to iterate, refine, and optimize their IIoT solutions before scaling them enterprise-wide. 

Moreover, wireless connectivity extends the reach of IIoT to hard-to-wire environments, such as remote sites, moving equipment, and temporary installations. OT teams can deploy wireless solutions independently in these scenarios, enabling them to collect more valuable data and further optimize operations in previously inaccessible areas. 

However, enabling IIoT connectivity over networks like cellular is hardly trivial; in fact, such technologies are known for being incredibly complex and requiring years of R&D — that is, until the Wireless for PLC. 

Introducing the Wireless for PLC  

To restore autonomy to industrial OT and product teams, Blues and Arduino, a household name in the maker and professional community, joined forces to create the Wireless for PLC. This powerful expansion brings Notecard’s turnkey, pre-provisioned, and encrypted connectivity to the Arduino Opta micro-PLC. 

 The Arduino Opta micro-PLC brought the easy-to-use, intuitive programming experience Arduino is known for to the PLC market.  

Now, with the Wireless for PLC, we’re taking it a few steps further by offering Opta developers a seamless, compatible route to integrate Notecard’s plug-and-play wireless capabilities with the Arduino Opta micro-PLC.  

 The Wireless for PLC is offered in the Cell+WiFi configuration. With pre-provisioned connectivity and a simple, low-code JSON interface, the Wireless for PLC reduces development time from years to months while bypassing the need to rely on local networks and gain IT’s approval.  

The result? 

OT teams can now focus on developing powerful applications and driving operational efficiency rather than grappling with complex network configurations, security protocols, and bureaucracy. 

In addition to turnkey connectivity, the Wireless for PLC prioritizes security, featuring industry-leading encryption and authentication through an integrated secure element ensuring data security between PLC and cloud while giving both OT and IT teams peace of mind. 

Furthermore, the module’s onboard backup power supply enables power outage detection alerts, giving OT teams an out-of-the-box way to detect and address downtime rapidly.  

 With the launch of the Wireless for PLC, we’ve brought the world of PLCs into a new hassle-free era of cloud connectivity. 

Take the Next Step Toward Cloud-Connected Industrial Automation 

Now, with the easy and flexible Opta PLC Combined with Wireless for PLC’s streamlined device-to-cloud wireless connectivity, OT teams have a direct path to intelligent PLC systems. 

 If you’d like to be among the first to build with the Wireless for PLC, join our waitlist today. 

 Want to learn more about Blues and Arduino’s partnership while discovering what’s possible with the Wireless for PLC? Join us for a fireside chat. 

The post Blues: Fueling IIoT Innovation with the Micro-PLC and Wireless Connectivity appeared first on Blues.

VROEGH Design is a major player in the micro mobility industry, serving as an outsourced R&D department providing design and engineering support to a diverse array of products, including e-bikes, cargo bikes, and e-scooters.

Together with Blues, VROEGH is developing the future of transportation by embedding cloud-connectivity in micro mobility vehicles. VROEGH’s innovative micro mobility design will be showcased at Blues’ CES 2024 booth #10770, in the IoT Infrastructure section within the North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Stop by our booth to discover how cloud-connected intelligence is reshaping everything from transportation to agricultural and industrial equipment and just about everything in between!

Creating the Future of Transportation

In 2014, VROEGH Design set out to reshape the micro mobility landscape. With a vision to blend innovation and practicality, they delved into the world of light electric vehicles, crafting solutions that promised to redefine urban mobility.

When Cleantron tapped VROEGH for help developing their Circular e-bike batteries, the company recognized the opportunity created by embedding a cloud-connected battery management system (BMS) into these batteries. However, they struggled to find the right technology to connect the battery to the cloud.

The integration needed to be as flexible as it was robust, adaptable to various e-bike models, and economical enough for broad implementation. This is the exact type of challenge Blues’ wireless cloud data pump was created to solve.

A Breakthrough in Micro Mobility Connectivity

VROEGH integrated Blues’ wireless cloud data pump into their battery’s design to build a revolutionary BMS.

They embedded the Notecard, a compact yet powerful connected system-on-module (SOM), into their battery by connecting it to a variety of components and sensors.

Now that the Notecard was capturing numerous data points about the battery’s condition, location, and performance, it began to relay this data to the cloud through Notehub, Blues’ cloud orchestration layer. This implementation enabled real-time battery management and monitoring while delivering an unparalleled rider experience.

Harnessing the Power of Cloud-Connected Experiences

The integration of these technologies into e-bike batteries comes with benefits for both the bike brand and its customers:

• • Improved Real-time Monitoring: Batteries can now communicate critical data in real-time. They relay information integral to keeping the e-bikes safe and running, including battery health, temperature, voltage, current, and state of charge.
• • Enhanced Battery Performance: The continuous data collection helps optimize the battery performance, ensuring longer life and better sustainability while giving the manufacturer insight into how they can improve future designs.
• • Superior Manufacturer Experience: The integration allows end users and manufacturers to track and manage the battery’s performance more effectively, enhancing reliability and usability.
• • Scalability and Ease of Use: Blues’ wireless cloud data pump’s plug-and-play functionality allows businesses to develop innovative cloud-connected applications in months, not years.
• • Proactive Vehicle Maintenance: The integration notably enhances end-user engagement, enabling them to monitor and maintain their e-bike batteries proactively. Proactive monitoring allows users to identify and address potential battery issues early, effectively preventing wear and extending the battery’s operational lifespan.
• • Misuse Detection: A notable feature of the integration is the ability to detect and report potential misuse of the batteries. This safeguard protects the batteries from premature degradation and catastrophic failures that could lead to fires, injuries, and lawsuits.
• • Sustainability Boost: The project contributes to sustainability efforts in the micro mobility sector by improving battery lifespan and usage. Longer-lasting batteries mean reduced waste and a smaller environmental footprint.

Visit Blues and VROEGH Design at CES 2024

The development of this BMS is the beginning of a unique partnership between Blues and VROEGH Design that will tremendously impact micro mobility and beyond.

As Bob Vroegh, Head of VROEGH Design, put it…

“I would love a bike to be able to send a message to the owner — Hey, we sense that your ebike motor has more resistance than we would expect. Let’s go to our service mechanic at [address] for a check. He is available at [option A,B,C]. IoT and Blues can make that happen.”

Discover firsthand how the partnership between VROEGH Design and Blues catalyzes a transformative wave in the micro mobility landscape by visiting us at CES 2024!

At our booth, you’ll find products designed by VROEGH on display, a host of Blues products showcased, two interactive demos, nineteen products built with Blues from just about every industry, and, of course, the famous Blues Café serving complimentary espresso, coffee, and water.

If you’re attending CES 2024, stop by booth #10770 in the IoT Infrastructure Section within the North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Ready to transform your products today?

Visit Blues for more information or talk to one of our experts.

Learn more about VROEGH Design and its pioneering work in the field by visiting VROEGH Design.

The post CES 2024: Reshaping Micro Mobility with VROEGH Design and Blues appeared first on Blues.

Geocene, a trailblazer in low-power connected devices, is dedicated to developing robust sensors to solve some of the most challenging problems faced around the world. At the heart of their success is a partnership with Blues, a collaboration that allows their sensors to thrive in environments where other technologies falter.

 The capabilities of Geocene and Blues’ partnership will be showcased at our CES booth, #10770, in the IoT Infrastructure section within the North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center. Stop by to see the next generation of cloud-connected sensors. 

Wireless Innovation for Ocean Data

Geocene, born out of Danny Wilson’s PhD research at UC Berkeley, specializes in developing versatile IoT data-logging sensors. Its mission: democratize IoT technology by making wireless sensor deployment and data analysis accessible to all. Geocene’s innovative sensors have proved crucial in challenging environments.  

Geocene first engaged Blues when they were implementing cellular connectivity for Sofar Ocean’s Spotter platform. The platform collects surface and subsurface data, such as wave spectra, wind, pressure, and temperature, and transmits it in real-time from anywhere in the ocean.

The Spotter platform’s historical reliance on satellite connectivity to send observations, however, created unnecessary cost and bandwidth limitations for some users, particularly those with devices moored just offshore. In these areas, having a reliable cellular service makes satellite connectivity redundant.  

Geocene found a powerful solution when they reached out to Blues and learned about our plug-and-play global connectivity capability. In just a few months, Geocene successfully integrated Blues’ wireless cloud data pump into the Spotter platform.

The pre-provisioned Notecard integrated seamlessly with the Spotter platform’s existing hardware and software, resulting in reliable cellular connectivity in record time. Today, the Spotter platform outperforms competitors by offering more frequent data sampling, global cellular connectivity, and secure data transmission at a lower cost than other devices that rely solely on satellites.

Ongoing Connectivity, Efficiency, and Reliability

The integration of Notecard and Notehub into Geocene’s products marked a turning point in the company’s ability to tackle complex connectivity challenges.  

Take, for example, Wedgworth’s IoT-connected fertilizer trailer sensor, the BrewBot. Geocene developed the BrewBot sensor system for their Killebrew fertilizer trailers. This sensor detects when bins are emptied, prompting timely trailer pickups. 

By integrating Blues, the BrewBot now streamlines the process of trailer pickups, with an estimated operational efficiency improvement of up to 20%. This enhancement aims to optimize logistics and translate into considerable financial benefits for Wedgworth. 

“Honestly, it is the best experience I have ever had working with any group,” —Patrick, Engineer, Wedgworth. 

Today, Geocene partners with Blues for all the ​cellular solutions they build for clients. They enjoy: 

• Global connectivity: The Notecard’s ability to support a spectrum of radio access technologies ensures Geocene’s sensors can be deployed in a wide-range of environments.
• Developer-centric ecosystem: Blues’ focus on creating a developer-friendly environment resonated with Geocene’s ethos. The simplicity and flexibility of the Notecard and Notehub allowed Geocene to focus on application-specific challenges instead of wireless connectivity. 
• Data management and security: With Notehub’s robust data routing to the cloud and scalable remote management capabilities, Geocene’s solutions can efficiently process large volumes of sensor-generated data. 
• Scalability and flexibility: The modular nature of Notecard and the comprehensive service offerings of Notehub provided Geocene with the scalability needed for its diverse range of projects. 

Visit Us at CES to Create a More Connected World

The partnership between Geocene and Blues has reshaped data collection in challenging environments and transformed how companies like Sofar Ocean and Wedgworth operate. Geocene has delivered innovative IoT applications that significantly improve operational efficiency and data management by leveraging Blues’ wireless cloud data pump – resulting in more bottom-line revenue for Geocene and its clients.  

“Since working on Sofar, Geocene has continued to build successful cellular solutions in partnership with Blues,” —Danny Wilson, Co-Founder and CEO, Geocene. 

Discover the future of wireless connectivity with Blues at CES 2024. 

 Visit Blues and Geocene at booth #10770 in the IoT Infrastructure Section, within the North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center at CES 2024.  Don’t miss the opportunity to engage with our experts, explore what’s possible with Blues, and take the first step towards transforming your products into data-driven intelligent services. 

Ready to transform your products today? 

 Talk to one of Blues’ experts. 

Reach out to Geocene to learn about their innovative solutions and global impact. 

The post Showcasing Geocene and Blues’ Partnership at CES 2024 appeared first on Blues.

The Prodigy team recently joined Blues at CES. We sat down with David to hear about the CES experience, talk about IoT product development, and the power of collaboration to drive better results and increase project ROI.

Can you tell us a little bit about Prodigy?

The company started 36 years ago as ITE (Integrated Technologies Engineering), but we now operate as Prodigy. We launched our rebrand as Prodigy at the CES show, where we exhibited with Blues.

We are a Product Development firm that designs products for and with our customers. Our team is made up of Electrical (Firmware and Hardware), Software, Systems and Mechanical Engineers along with PMP-Certified Project and Program Managers.

But we’re more than a product design and development firm—we use the power of client and partner collaboration to bring groundbreaking products to market, faster. By establishing deep working relationships with our clients and drawing on our broad bench of specialized expertise, we quickly create products that give our customers a competitive advantage.

As a development company, it is our clients’ requirements that lead to the creation of a product. We do inspire them, though, by showing them what other clients have done.

Prodigy exhibited with Blues at CES. How was your experience?

Prodigy could not have had a better CES show! Having Blues host us in your booth with other partners created a unique environment for attendees. Lots of other booths just showed off their latest tech, but Blues invested a great deal in demonstrating how your technology is practically used, and — importantly for us — how to take an innovative product idea and bring it to life through the product development process.

The results of being hosted in the Blues booth has been immediately positive.  We already have meetings scheduled with innovative companies looking to bring their Blues-infused products to market.  We also got to meet other potential technology partners.

Were there any surprising or inspiring moments at CES?

A great surprise and inspiration was getting to meet Dr. Ray Ozzie!  As a former Lotus Notes fanboy, it was awesome.  He took the time to meet each vendor and understand what was being showcased. Prodigy actually used two of our co-ops’ (Ryan Logsdon and Cory Gish) Senior Capstone Project from the University of Cincinnati to show the power of the Blues Notecard and how it can be used as a gateway to data immersion and exploration in the metaverse.  Ryan actually showed me one of his computer science textbooks that mentioned Ray while he was literally standing 4 feet from us and thanking all of us partners!

What are you most proud of?

We are proud to deliver one of the industry’s most exceptional client experiences, and we’re proud of our strong reputation for creativity and speed. For example, Prodigy provides a low-cost, 30-day IoT pilot that proves a real ROI. Overall, we have created billions of dollars in value for our clients. Deep collaboration, speed, and our track record of delivering exceptional bottom-line results are the qualities define us and set Prodigy apart. That’s why over 97% of our clients return to us again and again!

Let’s talk about your customers. Who are they? What are their biggest challenges when it comes to IoT product development?

Our customers range from smaller/mid-size companies to the Fortune 100. They are innovators in the medical, consumer, commercial, capital equipment, industrial, and military spaces, all of which benefit immensely from IoT technologies. Most of our clients would describe their business challenge as the continual need to provide innovative and competitive products to their customers that generate a profit. We work with clients all over the globe who are faced with getting innovative products to market in a timely and cost-effective manner while minimizing risk.

But IoT product development is not simple – often, our clients do not have enough expertise internally to develop some aspect of a product. There are so many existing products that could benefit greatly from the infusion of IoT technology, but there are many technical problems to solve.

Prodigy helps solve IoT challenges in many ways, and we have a program that gets customers up and running with a fully functional IoT pilot in less than 30 days. Technology like the Blues Notecard are technically sound and cost effective. It can be integrated into almost any product/pilot and later scaled for production.  Production is important to note in this post-pandemic environment.  The Notecard is not only a great IoT element, it is AVAILABLE when needed to get products in customers hands.

What kind of products do you develop with your clients?

Our innovations include everything from a child’s sippy cup to advanced surgical robotic devices. We often integrate advanced technologies into products, like the Blues Notecard, making them smart and connected.

Can you talk about any specific products or client success stories?

Inspired by driving his Tesla electric vehicle, the owner of Cold Jet — the pioneer and global leader in dry ice blasting technology — challenged his firm to design and build a modern ice blaster that was both robust and functional.

Cold Jet envisioned an aesthetically pleasing design that included:

(1) new functionality;

(2) global Industrial IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) cloud connectivity and data analysis, and

(3) a Digital HMI (Human Machine Interface) that offers, amongst other things, the ability to save settings and to improve the overall user experience.

To assist with this product development strategy, Prodigy’s electrical engineering and project management teams worked with Cold Jet’s mechanical engineers to design a new and revised dry ice blaster machine in alignment with this vision. Cold Jet achieved clear ROIs from the product development strategy, which completely modernized and redesigned its flagship dry ice blaster machine.

Since the launch of the initial machine, Cold Jet has sold thousands of units. Customers have also reported the benefits of using new product features — like the settings recipe function, global IIoT connectivity, predictive analytics to prevent machine downtime, remote management of machines, and improved user experience via the modern Digital HMI.

What are some unique challenges you face in your role as a product designer and developer?

Product Development is all about navigating risks and challenges. One challenge is developing a clear ROI before putting pencil to paper. We apply our experience in created connected products to help clients develop a meaningful ROI.

Our biggest pain points are global connectivity, data plan cost, and supply-chain gaps (product availability). During the global supply shortage, availability of the devices is a huge factor. We are constantly seeking out solutions that are affordable, consistently available, and scalable. When we find solution providers that meet these needs, we stay with them. That’s why Prodigy has worked with Blues since Blues launched.

What do you enjoy about working with Blues?

When I first heard about Blues, I thought it looked compelling due to global coverage and the cost-effective data plan. On top of that, another solution provider had months of depleted inventory while Blues had hardware available. The Blues Notecard allows Prodigy to quickly integrate a cellular IoT modem into both a pilot and a production solution. It is robust, straightforward to program, and offers a great cloud-based console to manage a fleet and integrate data into other cloud services.

Blues is a fantastic partner. They are responsive and are there to support us, and more importantly, our customers at every step of their journey to bring innovative products to market. It is truly a delight to work with them! Pavan, for example, is a pleasure to work with and partner with!

Prodigy will continue to bring bold ideas to life through our partnership with our customers and our partnerships with best-in-class technology providers like Blues!

What’s next for Prodigy?

For the last 36 years, we have been ITE (Integrated Technologies Engineering). When we began there was no Internet, now we’re developing IoT devices. To enable innovative solutions, we must be relentless in seeking out and leveraging the best new technologies to exceed our customers’ expectations. We look forward to the next stage of our journey as Prodigy and as a premier Product Development Partner of Blues!

Are you an IoT product development firm interested in becoming a Blues partner? Learn more about the Blues Partner Program.

The post Prodigy’s David Mackenzie Shares His Insights on CES, IoT Product Development, and Why Collaboration Leads to Success appeared first on Blues.

As a systems thinker, it’s hard for me to think about business as anything but a systems problem. If we focus on strategic alliance as a component of a system, it’s clear that having strong partnerships is a key corporate asset and can play into a mutually beneficial advantage.

One of Blues Wireless’ longest-standing and most important relationships is with STMicroelectronics. STMicroelectronics creates and delivers the microchips at the core of our Notecard product. Chips from ST are embedded in a vast array of the most advanced IoT innovations today, and are an essential part of a diverse product lineup including electric cars and key fobs, industrial machines, data centers, washing machines, smartphones, and many other edge devices.

I’ll be attending the ST Technology Tour developer event in Burlington, MA on November 2^nd, and would like to talk about your strategies for navigating the complexity of IoT development.

Connect with me on LinkedIn to start the conversation, and stop by the Blues Wireless booth at the event.

About the ST Technology Tour

The ST Technology Tour is a traveling event organized by STMicroelectronics for design engineers, purchasing decision makers, project managers, developers, technology package designers, and students. At this one-day event, experts lead technology presentations covering emerging markets, and attendees gain hands-on experience at workshops that cover cutting-edge technology and techniques.

Attendees will get access to:

• Hands-on training
• Technology demonstrations
• Presentations

Strategic Partnerships to Deliver Supply Chain Independence

In-person events aren’t the only thing to be impacted by the global pandemic. We’ve all felt the impact of the disruptions to the supply chain that resulted from labor supply shortages, fluctuating demand, and port congestion, among other things.

A hot topic in IoT continues to be the chip shortage, as it is still affecting the rate of market recovery.

“Despite a booming demand for IoT solutions and positive sentiment in the IoT community as well as in most IoT end markets, IoT Analytics expects the chip shortage’s impact on the number of connected IoT devices to last well beyond 2023.”

Source: https://www.iotforall.com/state-of-iot-2022

Supply chain independence is a largely under-advertised part of the value Blues provides to enterprise customers, solution integrators, and product design consultancies. Through our foundational relationships with supply partners such as STMicroelectronics, our customers have not been impacted by these shortages.

STMicroelectronics and Blues Wireless

Many of the key strategic components in our bill of materials are STMicroelectronics products. They fall under the STM32 family of microcontrollers (MCUs). We love these MCUs because they are known for being power-conscious, but also powerful. Suffice to say, we are big believers in STMicroelectronics and are thrilled to be partnering with them.

Notecard

The Blues Wireless Notecard is our flagship product that makes cellular IoT easy and affordable. It combines instant, prepaid cellular connectivity, low-power design, and secure “off-the-internet” communications in one 30 x 35mm System-on-Module.

It includes 500 MB of cellular connectivity and coverage in 137+ countries around the world, and it comes at a fraction of the cost and complexity relative to other equivalent products on the market. This means that you can truly scale up your IoT project without running into any budget constraints.

The Notecard uses a few key strategic components from ST which includes the STM32 MCU, a ST LIS2DTW12TR accelerometer, and an ST Safe Secure Element.

Swan

We have also implemented a ST component in our new Swan microcontroller, which is powered by an STM32L4+.

Sparrow

Our newest product, Sparrow, which helps customers build and deploy LoRa-based device clusters is also powered by an ST product.

Blues Wireless’ Focus on Developers

Blues is a company with a solution built by developers, for developers. We invest a lot in R&D and continuously share our products with the broader developer community in order to optimize the developer experience. You could file these relationships and our focus on the developer community as a key node in our system to help build our business.

But we don’t just take feedback from others who use our product, we “eat our own dog food”. A visit to the Blues Wireless Hackster Channel will reveal the varied and interesting projects that our own employees have built using the Notecard. This level of intellectual curiosity and enthusiasm for innovation is at the core of the company, and why we look forward to engaging with others who share this approach to IoT.

We recognize that IoT developers, and all manner of embedded, firmware, and cloud developers still matter. Within the enterprise, it’s still the developer who drives the ultimate success or failure of an IoT project.

What I’m Looking Forward to at the Conference 

We will be sharing a booth with one of our partners, HAE Innovations. HAE Innovations specializes in IoT device engineering and testing. Stop by and see us to ask about some of the work we’re doing together.

There’s so much value gained from gathering at in-person events. I am really looking forward to meeting you and learning more about your successes as well as the problems you are facing when it comes to building your IoT solutions. When you see me, ask about the Blues Wireless Notecard; I’ll show you how this small-but-mighty SoM solves your connectivity challenges with a secure, integrated edge-to-cloud pipeline that works out of the box.

I am looking forward to connecting on Linkedin or scheduling some time to see how we can add value to your current and future IoT projects.

The post Exploring Strategic IoT Partnerships at the ST Technology Tour appeared first on Blues.