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IoT Solutions Roll for Security, Antenna Selection, and Edge Compute

June 11, 2022 by Antonio Anzaldua Jr.

Designing Internet of Things (IoT) systems can be a tricky juggling act. To help engineers keep pace, new IoT products are helping solve problems in security, connectivity, and edge computing.

There's no doubt that IoT system development is a multifaceted endeavor. Choices include selecting the right antenna for wireless communications, ensuring robust security, and finding the right modular computing solution for edge processing. Fortunately, three companies have recently unveiled new solutions aimed at different parts of the IoT puzzle.

In this article, we round up a selection of these IoT building blocks and explore how they are smoothing the way for IoT system developers.

 

Kyocera’s Modeling and Validation Tool for IoT Devices

There are numerous decisions that go into designing and testing an IoT system. This can include rigorous testing and validation stages, along with efforts to meet security and authentication requirements. Serving just those needs, Kyocera AVX offers its IoT Solution Optimizer tool. It's designed to accelerate IoT system development from proof-of-concept through testing cycles.

 

Passive antennas from Kyocera AVX can be used by IoT developers for applications such as asset tracking, building management, and machine monitoring. Image used courtesy of Kyocera AVX

Passive antennas from Kyocera AVX can be used by IoT developers for applications such as asset tracking, building management, and machine monitoring. Image used courtesy of Kyocera AVX

 

The IoT Solution Optimizer serves as an interactive digital tool for developing battery-powered IoT applications. IoT designers can use the tool to efficiently validate NarrowBand IoT and LTE-M devices that are equipped with Kyocera AVX antennas. The tool functions as an all-in-one design platform that provides engineers with a quick, accurate, and cost-effective method to model and validate IoT devices, according to Kyocera AVX.

The IoT Solution Optimizer provides a step-by-step guide to enable users to customize and configure a wide range of Kyocera antenna types and integrate them with any IoT system. Engineers can use the tool for the following IoT functions:

  • Deploy the initial product
  • Add radio access
  • Check coverage
  • Certification
  • Power source selection
  • Establish protocols
  • Configuration/testing
  • Define data storage
  • Generate an analysis performance report

Through each step, Kyocera’s tool is expected to save developers and service providers time and costs in order to meet market-demanding deadlines.

 

Engineers can use the IoT Solution Optimizer to go through a series of simplified steps that are critical for IoT system design. Image used courtesy of Kyocera AVX

Engineers can use the IoT Solution Optimizer to go through a series of simplified steps that are critical for IoT system design. Image used courtesy of Kyocera AVX

 

Kyocera says that the IoT Solution Optimizer enables users to model, test, and validate their IoT designs with just a few clicks. Engineers can quickly and cost-effectively choose the best full-chain components at the beginning of their design cycle, says the company.

 

NXP’s EdgeLock A5000 Does IoT Device Authentication

Because they're comprised of network-connected devices, security is an inherent challenge for IoT systems. Targeting those needs, in March NXP Semiconductors announced EdgeLock A5000, a secure authentication solution for IoT ecosystems and networks. The product consists of an IC device plus middleware.

 

The IoT security that EdgeLock A5000 provides ensures access to public to private clouds without compromising data or becoming susceptible to any forms of malware. 

The IoT security that EdgeLock A5000 provides ensures access to the public to private clouds without compromising data or becoming susceptible to any forms of malware. Image used courtesy of NXP Semiconductors

 

The EdgeLock A5000 is designed as a plug-in solution that developers can marry with any microcontroller or microprocessor as a turnkey authentication solution. The solution enables secure storage and cryptographic operations to be performed for critical communication functions. The IoT security EdgeLock provides ensures access to the public to private clouds without compromising data or becoming susceptible to any forms of malware, says NXP.

NXP’s A5000 can effectively serve as the sole security technology for an IoT system, with the ability to attach to any host controller. This establishes trust between developers and customers, to effectively protect vital data and information with the speed and reliability of 5G networks.

IoT ecosystems require strong authentication in order to verify device identities and secure communication. Without complex design guidelines, EdgeLock A5000 can be integrated into applications such as smart home, smart metering, electric vehicle charging, and cloud onboarding

Authentication plays an important role in IoT systems since there is a large amount of data shared through homes and cities. NXP claims the EdgeLock A5000 is a solution that can scale up for use in smart city infrastructure and large-scale industrial equipment. NXP’s EdgeLock A5000 can withstand a temperature range of -40°C to +105°C, making it well suited for those large-scale IoT systems. More details on the A5000 are provided in the A5000 datasheet.

 

Solderable i.MX 8XLite SOM From iWave

Many of today's IoT systems need to do a lot of computing at the IoT edge. And that edge can often be in a harsh environment application such as a factory floor or an outdoor facility. It that compute module can be on a single PCB, all the better. Serving just such needs, the latest system-on-module (SOM) product to be announced by iWave Systems Technologies is its iW-RainboW-G46M, an OSM based on NXPs' i.MX 8XLite applications processor. The module provides processing, communication interfacing, and memory blocks through a single PCB. The board is based on the Open Standard Module (OSM) standard developed by the Standardization Group for Embedded Technologies (SGET).

 

The iW-RainboW-G46M OSMA is a 30 mm x 30 mm device with 332 potential contacts, 2.3 TOPS, and a dedicated neural network processor. It's well suited for smart home, smart city, and industrial IoT applications. Image courtesy of iWave Systems

The iW-RainboW-G46M OSMA is a 30 mm x 30 mm device with 332 potential contacts, 2.3 TOPS, and a dedicated neural network processor. It's well suited for smart homes, smart cities, and industrial IoT applications. Image courtesy of iWave Systems

 

At the heart of the iW-RainboW-G46M OSM is NXPs' i.MX 8XLite applications processor. The processor features dedicated hardware security modules (HSMs) designed to enable telematics, vehicle-to-everything (V2X), and industrial IoT control applications. It offers a 64-bit ARMv8 architecture that can use both 64-bit and 32-bit executions. 

The iW-RainboW-G46M OSM provides several advantages for IoT systems in harsh environments, including resistance to vibration, compact footprint, and small pin-to-area ratio. Typically, IoT systems will experience vibration in heavy equipment -wireless monitoring devices that collect data through rotating parts. The iW-RainboW-G46M can directly be soldered on the carrier card to better withstand vibration.

 

Getting IoT Systems to Market Faster

Gone now are the days when IoT was a new concept. It's evolved into a mature arena of engineering development. As a result, a host of hardware and software solutions continue to emerge, solving a variety of IoT-related challenges. The products discussed here exemplify that trend, addressing critical IoT system development. Such products could make a difference for engineers and help them get their IoT system designs to market faster.