Below is a summary of the top stories in the Internet of Things space over the past week.
Amazon's New Do It Yourself Dash Button
In 2015, Amazon.com first announced its Dash button, an Internet of Things (IoT) device that would allow consumers to order replenishment of a given product (e.g., laundry detergent) with the push of a button.
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| Conceptualizing, would this type of button make sense for a factory worker, for example, to notify the inventory system a part bin is getting low on inventory and requires replenishment? |
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The Dash buttons connect to the internet via a home's WiFi network, and can be configured (e.g., how much to product to order) via an app on smart phones or tablet.
With the apparent success of that system (Amazon now claims more than 100 brands, from toilet paper to pet food, offer Dash buttons), Amazon is now is expanding the concept to provide a generic Dash button that companies or tech-savvy individuals can program to create their own applications.
The idea is to make it easier to build or operate Internet of Things devices without a device-specific code. Developers must use Amazon's web services platform (AWS) to create the application.
"You can code the button's logic in the cloud to configure button clicks to count or track items, call or alert someone, start or stop something, order services, or even provide feedback," said Amazon Web Services. "For example, you can click the button to unlock or start a car, open your garage door, call a cab, call your spouse or a customer service representative, track the use of common household chores, medications or products, or remotely control your home appliances."
Amazon said that the sky is the limit when it comes to what the button can be programed to do.
Unlike its consumer cousins, the AWS IoT Dash button is all about tasks and not ordering branded products. Developers configure the button to their WiFi network before they can provision the device with an AWS IoT certificate and a private key. Once that is done, the button will connect to AWS IoT and a message will be published when an IoT topic is clicked.
The AWS IoT rules engine can be set up to send notifications through an Amazon service, based on the click rules that developers have allocated to a task (e.g., single, double or long-press).
"The button can be used as a remote control for Netflix, a switch for your Philips Hue light bulb, a check-in/check-out device for Airbnb guests, or a way to order your favorite pizza for delivery," said Amazon. "You can integrate it with third-party APIs like Twitter, Facebook, Twilio, Slack or even your own company's applications. Connect it to things we haven't even thought of yet."
 So, this provides a very interesting platform for companies to consider building their own applications. Each Dash IoT button costs $19.99, though right now they are already out of stock.
Could this device have any role in supply chain or industrial applications? Amazon does say the AWS IoT Dash Button works anywhere there is a WiFi connection, although an office or home environment is preferred. Another downside is the button is only good for 1000 or so pushes, after which the battery fails, and the entire button needs to be replaced. One with think a rechargeable version might come somewhere down the line.
So conceptualizing, would this type of button make sense for a factory worker, for example, to notify the inventory system a part bin is getting low on inventory and requires replenishment? Do any other supply chain applications come to mind?
Regardless, we think the idea of an easily programmable home IoT device - with some refinements over time - is likely to generate a following.
10 IoT Acquisitions Already this Year
Takeover action is very hot in the IoT space, mostly with larger companies acquiring technology starts. Here are 10 deals already here in 2016, as first reported by web site crn.com
1. Microsoft earlier this month said it acquired Solair, an Italy-based Internet of Things service that specializes in verticals such as manufacturing, retail, hospitality and transportation. The IoT customization and deployment solutions are built on Microsoft's Azure cloud platform and help enterprises track their products, capture data and improve profitability.
2. Last month, Cypress Semiconductor said it would acquire Broadcom's wireless Internet of Things business and all related assets in a $550 million transaction. As part of Broadcom's IoT business, Cypress, San Jose, CA., will get the company's WiFi, Bluetooth and ZigBee IoT product lines and IP, as well as its WICED brand and developer ecosystem.
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3. Sony in February closed on an acquisition of Altair Semiconductor for $212 million. Altair, an Israel-based company, makes chips connecting devices to LTE, which is used to connect objects such as fitness trackers and sensors to the Internet of Things.
Tokyo-based Sony said it will combine Altair's business - specifically its modem chips - with Sony technology, including its Global Navigation Satellite System and image sensors.
4. Brocade in April said it would acquire Sunnyvale, CA.-based Ruckus Wireless, which will complement Brocade's enterprise networking portfolio with Ruckus' higher-growth, wireless products.
The acquisition will strengthen Brocade's ability to pursue emerging market opportunities around 5G  mobile services, Internet of Things and Smart Cities.
5. Cisco Systems was another company that recently dove deeper into IoT with the $1.4 billion purchase of cloud-based IoT provider Jasper Technologies., Santa Clara, CA.
Jasper, named one of CRN's 10 Coolest IoT startups of 2015, offers a cloud-based IoT service platform to help enterprises and service providers launch, manage and monetize IoT services on a global scale.
6. Nokia in April said it would acquire Withings to bolster its IoT offerings in the digital health space. Nokia did not disclose the purchase price.
France-based Withings offers regulated and unregulated products - including activity trackers, weighing scales, thermometers and blood pressure monitors - and is built on a digital health platform with complementary apps.
7. Intel in April said it would acquire Yogitech, an Italian-based company with expertise in semiconductor functional safety and related standards. The company will join Intel's Internet of Things Group.
According to Intel, the acquisition will further its efforts in advanced driver assistance systems, robotics and autonomous machines for market segments like automotive and industrial, as Intel can tap into Yogitech's knowledge of functional safety as it relates to the Internet of Things.
8. In April, Qorvo, a Greensboro, NC.-based provider of core technologies and RF solutions for mobile, infrastructure and defense applications, said it would acquire IoT solution provider GreenPeak Technologies.
GreenPeak Technologies, based in the Netherlands, is a leader in ultra-low-power, short-range RF communication technology, and Qorvo will now be able to expand its customer offerings to include highly integrated RF solutions and SoCs for the connected home and IoT
9. Salesforce in May acquired data automation startup Implisit Insights for "tens of millions" of dollars.
Implisit is based in Israel and has raised $3.3 million in funding so far, according to Crunchbase. Implisit Insights is a software market that helps salespeople make better decisions based on its customer database.
10. Chip designer ARM recently said it had paid $350 million in cash to purchase Apical, which manufactures technology for analyzing images. London-based Apical, which specializes in embedded computer vision, will help ARM accelerate its expansion into new IoT-related markets, including connected devices.
Computer vision is in the early stages of development and the world of devices powered by this exciting technology can only grow from here," said Simon Segars, CEO of UK-based ARM.
Got all that? If only you had built an IoT start-up, you too could now be rich.
Do you see a bright future for Aamzon's new programmable Dash button? Any applications in the supply chain? Let us know your thoughts at the Feedback section below.
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