> IOT-FEATURE
Wireless Technology Overview for IoT
Walt Maclay
behalf of Digi-Key Electronics The Internet of Things (IoT) is both known and unknown in the modern world. It is a common term for individuals in the tech industry and corporate world, but only seldom heard by the general populace although it’s part of their daily lives. IoT is the connectivity of physical objects such as devices, vehicles, buildings, electronics, and networks that allows them to interact, collect and exchange data. It applies to millions of different things, including updated traditional products previously not connected to the internet. This article will take a look into the many ways these devices can communicate wirelessly.
Three ways to get data into the cloud
One challenge of IoT is getting data from the device’s sensor to the cloud, where that data is used, processed, and stored. The ubiquitous use of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth through smartphones, along with the widespread availability of cell towers and public Wi-Fi access points, provides more access to the cloud for IoT sensors than ever before. There are three basic ways to get data to the cloud. Sensor to gateway to cloud. In some applications, it is optimal to send the sensor data to a gateway which then transmits the data efficiently to the cloud. Depending on the application
> MAY 2021
needs, the gateway can range from simple relay systems to “smart” platforms that perform more compute-intensive functions called “edge processing”. Devices like parking lot sensors and desk utilization sensors typically rely on gateways to transmit the data. Wi-Fi is an example of a gateway. For in-home use, you need to install a Wi-Fi gateway. In public locations where the gateway is already installed, Wi-Fi operates directly to the cloud. Other types of wireless communications, such as Bluetooth, require a gateway. An example of Wi-Fi in the home is Hatch Baby Grow, a smart changing pad and connected scale. It uses Wi-Fi to transmit data from the scale in the changing pad to the home internet. The parent and pediatrician can track cloud-based information through either an Android or iOS application. Sensor to cell phone to cloud. In some cases, the gateway can be a cell phone. Smartphones with Wi-Fi or Bluetooth capability act as gateways to send data to the cloud. For instance, Voler helped with the development of earbuds that monitor the elderly for balance. They have Bluetooth LE wireless transmission to a smartphone where there is an associated app. The data is also sent to the cloud from the smartphone where further processing can be done and data can be shared.
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