Everybody is talking about Internet-of-Things but we wanted to actually do something and we did: SkopjePulse is an open IoT platform using TheThingsNetwork infrastructure to collect data about air pollution, noise, temperature and humidity in the city of Skopje. This talk explains the basic ingredients for IoT and also shows the challenges for doing IoT in a software company like Netcetera. This was a guest talk at the University of St. Gallen (HSG) for students of economy

1. Guest Presentation
Designing a Better City with IoT
13-03-2017 Daniel Eichhorn

2. Netcetera | 2
Who is Netcetera?
• Swiss Software Company
• Founded 1996 by five study colleagues
• 400 employees
• Offices in Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Germany,
Austria, Macedonia and UAE
• Custom Software, Products and Operations

3. Netcetera | 3
Business areas & customers
Finance &
Insurance
Payment &
Card Services
Transport Healthcare Public Service Energy Publishers &
Media
Retail & others
▪ Mission-critical Backend
Applications
▪ Mobile Banking
▪ Pension and Insurance
Advisory
▪ Insurance Processes
▪ Financial Planning
and Advisory
▪ Mobile Payment
▪ Online Payment
▪ 3-D Secure Services
▪ Credit Card Self
Servicing Platform
▪ EBPP
▪ Loyalty Programs
▪ Timetabling
▪ Real-time Passenger
Information &
Indoor Navigation
▪ International Train
Path Coordination
▪ Consulting
▪ Self-Servicing Portals
▪ Insurance Processes
▪ Product Terms &
Condition Services
▪ Electronic health record
▪ Mobile solutions
▪ Self-Servicing Portals
▪ Workflow & eForms
▪ Waste Management
▪ Police & Safety
▪ Remote Sensing
▪ School Solutions
▪ Self-Servicing Portals
▪ Issue Management

4. Netcetera | 4
Daniel Eichhorn
Who am I?
• Master of Science
University Zurich (2006)
• Senior Software Developer@Netcetera
• Passionate Maker & IoT Blogger
squix78
https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-eichhorn-39360911

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What is the Internet-of-Things?
The Internet 20 years ago…

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Next 20 Years: Connect the Physical World

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Sensors - Sense the Physical World
Example: SCiO - Pocket Spectrometer
https://www.consumerphysics.com

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Actuators – Manipulate the Physical World
iLockit - Automatic Bike Lock
http://www.ilockit.bike/

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Things need Connectivity

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Smart Applications: Smart Billboard
(Source: Black Mirror, S03E01)

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Summary: IoT Building Blocks
Sensors/ Actuators Network Infrastructure Business Applications

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SkopjePulse: With IoT for a Better City

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SkopjePulse: With IoT for a better City
Solving Real World Problems:
• Air Pollution
• Occasional Flooding
• Excessive Noise
• Traffic Congestions
How to address these problems?
• Measure and share data
• Raise awareness
• Predict and Notify
http://skopjepulse.mk

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A better City with SkopjePulse and IoT

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A better City with SkopjePulse and IoT

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A better City with SkopjePulse and IoT

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A better City with SkopjePulse and IoT

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A better City with SkopjePulse and IoT

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A better City with SkopjePulse and IoT

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A better City with SkopjePulse and IoT

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Prototype Current Version

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Challenges: A Software Company making Hardware?

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Early Prototyping Phase

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PCB Design and Casing

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Prototypes Current Version

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IoT Radio Technology

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Project Management Triangle
Cost
TimeScope
Quality

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Radio Technology Constraints
Range
Energy
Consumption
Bandwidth

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Competing Radio Technologies for IoT

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LoRa Infrastructure

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Advantages LoRa
● Long Range
● Low Power Consumption
● Cheap Infrastructure ($400/Gateway)
● Easy to extend network/ coverage
● Usage without license cost
● Operates in unlicensed band

34. Netcetera | 34
Disadvantages LoRa
● Proprietary Technology
● Low data rate
● Shared usage of frequency band

35. Netcetera | 35
Cheap Network Infrastructure

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LoRaWAN Providers (in Switzerland)
Swisscom LPN (Low Power Network)
Commercial
CH: 80% of Population Covered (Oct. 2016)
Loriot.io
Commercial/ Community
NaaS/ SaaS
Worldwide availability
The Things Network
Crowd Sourced, Community driven
Worldwide availabilty

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TheThingsNetwork
Pros:
● Free to use
● Availability in many countries
● Cheap and easy to add coverage
● Secured
● Active & helpful community
Cons:
● No SLAs
● No guaranteed support

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2 Days - 7 Challenges
60 Participants - 17 Teams

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Environmental
Conditions
of City’s Plants

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Location Tracking
of City’s
Bikes-For-Rent

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Collect
Traffic Statistics

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VooDoo Doll
For Noise Complaints

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Take Home Messages
IoT requires a new type of engineer:
Knowledge in both hard- and software

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Take Home Messages
The IoT community in
Switzerland is very active!
You can tap into their
resources...

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Thank You!
Questions?