In the midst of COVID-19, we partnered with Kroger to provide a solution for monitoring store occupancy that was effective, quick to implement, and required little to no new equipment.
We’ve all heard the phrase “data is the new oil” to describe the exponential growth of big data platforms and analytics as key mechanisms of digital transformation. For many organizations, the importance of becoming data-literate — capable of communicating data and analytics in ways that spur innovation, enhance customer experience, increase revenue, and fulfill the more traditional role of risk mitigation — has become a fundamental business asset.
The hotel and travel industry is poised for a wave of innovation. Emboldened by a strong global economy, consumers are booking more excursions as they seek experiences over goods and services. To remain competitive, established industry players are seizing the opportunity in the upswing to invest in technology that keeps them nimble in the face of a changing market.
I recently had the opportunity to attend a research conference focused on projects related to computer networking, the IEEE LANMAN conference hosted at George Washington University. Researchers travelled from all over the world to showcase their projects, resulting in a three-day experience comprised of six speaker sessions, a panel, and a demo/poster session. I was particularly drawn to speaker sessions that shared new research in the field of the Internet of Things (IoT), given how much work we do with IoT at Mission Data.
As the weather heats up for summer, those of us that enjoy an adult beverage every now and then might find ourselves thirsty for a crisp summer cocktail, like a minty mojito or a frothy margarita. Most likely, we’ll sip away at the drink while perched at our favorite bar, not giving much thought to how this little luxury arrived in front of us. And no, I’m not talking about the techniques the bartender used to make the drink—while captivating, no doubt—but rather the journey of all the ingredients, from farm to glass.
The advent of Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) devices has allowed for the addition of wireless capability to low-powered devices, and expanding the possibilities for the Internet of Things. Because BLE was part of an update to the Bluetooth Standard in 2011, new code had to be written to support devices that utilized the technology. The Generic Attribute Profile (GATT) specification allows for a standardized method of accessing data from BLE devices, and libraries have been written to support this data collection in various languages. By using this technology, we explored the possibility of creating a “smart” kitchen, such that we could wirelessly receive temperature readings from a variety of Bluetooth thermometers.
With the explosion of the Internet of Things in recent years, it is no surprise that Google would want to get developers involved using the Android OS. The resulting product is Android Things (first released in May 2018), a version of the Android OS specifically designed for IoT devices. Based on the same operating system as Android phones, Android Things simplifies the development process and makes creating IoT programs the same procedure as a phone or watch app, but the available libraries are different depending on the IoT hardware.
When Apple announced its AirPods last year, initially critics were skeptical of the wireless earbuds’ design — seemingly easy to lose and reminiscent of Q-tips or cigarette butts. Yet, aesthetics aside, the tiny protruding cylinders have become an increasingly prevalent accessory in recent months. Apple recently revealed its wearables revenue — from the Apple Watch, Beats headphones, and AirPods — rose 50 percent last quarter.
It’s that time of year again — Mission Data is joining with tech leaders from all over the world at SXSW in Austin, Texas, beginning March 9. Among the many hot topics this year, the Internet of Things (IoT) continues to be at the forefront of discussion. As we continue growing our OpSense IoT platform bringing smart monitoring to retail and restaurant operations (among other use cases), we’re excited to see how industry experts, startups, and influencers shape the conversation around operational technology, wireless infrastructure, data collection, and more.