Project: IoT lab for SME 2.0

Project manager
Elin Gunnarsson
Other project members
John Jeansson, Katarina Ellborg, Peter Jonsson, Oxana Lundström, Laure Fournier, Linnaeus University
Reference group
Mikael Brolin, Wexnet
Mikael Westling, Kalmar Energi
Susanna Persson och Josefine Dahlgren, Nybro Energi
Financiers
The European Regional Development Fund via the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth (Tillväxtverket), Region Kronoberg and Region Kalmar County
Timetable
1 July 2021–30 April 2023
Subject
Computer science (Department of Computer Science and Media Technology, Faculty of Technology)
Business informatics (Department of Organisation and Entrepreneurship, School of Business and Economics)
Research group
Engineering Resilient Systems (EReS)
Linnaeus University Centre
Linnaeus University Centre for Data Intensive Sciences and Applications
Linnaeus Knowledge Environment
Digital Transformations

Throughout the project, we intend to reach out to all types of companies that may be interested in working with IoT and digital development. Our project coordinator will make company visits, both in-person and digitally, to discuss what needs and opportunities there are, and then provide guidance on what activities could be suitable for each company.

Guidance discussion

To determine the most suitable activity based on needs and opportunities, guidance discussions are a good starting point. This means that your company will get the opportunity to meet our project coordinator, either in-person or digitally. At this session, you can describe your needs, current level of knowledge on the topic, and any specific problems you want to solve. Based on your response, you will receive suggestions for activities that best meet your needs.

Open inspirational workshops

The project's inspirational workshops are organised in collaboration with the project's research engineer or researchers/lecturers and primarily serve as an opportunity to explore various possibilities from a technical perspective. This may involve demonstrating different types of technical solutions or showcasing successful examples from other companies. The content of these inspirational workshops may vary depending on the specific interests expressed by the companies.

Inspirational lectures

The project's inspirational lectures can serve as a great starting point for those who want to learn more about IoT, how to get started, and what opportunities the technology brings. The goal is to generate interest in IoT technology among the audience and provide inspiration to explore the possibilities for their own businesses. If you are a larger group within a company or if you are gathering multiple companies, we are happy to come to your location to provide inspiration on what is possible and the best ways to get started.

The project offers various activities aimed at SMEs to increase their competence in IoT. This includes both theoretical and practical knowledge. For example, companies can get the opportunity to test their own ideas with support from the project.

In-depth lectures

For those who want to delve deeper and gain more in-depth knowledge without enrolling in a full course, we offer in-depth lectures, primarily delivered digitally. However, if there is a critical mass of interested companies, live lectures can also be arranged. Since IoT is a broad field that covers everything from hardware and electronics to networking, radio communication, battery technology, data storage, visualisation, business support, and business models, while also being a rapidly changing domain, it is challenging to stay updated. Therefore, the content of the in-depth lectures will vary.

Workshops

Learning new technology often involves hands-on experimentation with various tools and equipment. During a workshop, companies get the opportunity to learn the basics and explore on their own to gain a better understanding of what IoT solutions can contribute with. This activity is also intended as a step towards becoming a pilot case.

This activity is offered to support companies by examining their existing business models and contributing to an increased understanding of how these models can be influenced and potentially developed with the help of new technology. We will primarily work with companies conducting pilot cases in this activity, but there may be opportunities for other companies as well. If you are interested, please feel free to get in touch.

Design of Business models within IoT

The project will meet up with the participating company on three occasions. The purpose is to identify, develop, and evaluate the relationship between the company's IoT initiatives and its business model, together with the company's management and those responsible for digital initiatives at the company.

1. The company's digital temperature and driving forces – A key focus at the first instance is to provide the company with a snapshot of its digital transformation.
2. The company's digital business model – The second instance takes the form of a business model workshop.
3. The company's digital tensions – The third instance occurs some time after the company's solution has been designed and delivered. A central consideration is the importance of purposeful and long-term actions for value realisation.

The companies will receive feedback in the form of shorter interim reports connected to the three occasions. The purpose is to enable both short-term and long-term learning for increased value creation and competitiveness.

Experience shows that the best way to start development work within a company is to undertake a concrete project. The project will match companies with research engineers/researchers/teachers/students with the right expertise, who together will begin exploring potential IoT solutions and start working together concretely.

The Format of Pilotcase

• Each round of pilot cases we work with has a common start and a common end.
• During a limited period, the company works together with members from the project in flexible forms with an estimated work effort of between 2-8 hours per week depending on the company's needs.
• Companies themselves purchase any necessary equipment and spend considerable time on the work. The company is the driving force in the process and formulates its own goals, then receives support and guidance from the project.
• This can involve identifying and choosing between different technical solutions, or developing a first draft of a product idea, among other things. The project's purpose is not to deliver ready-to-implement solutions, but rather to demonstrate possibilities, test ideas, and provide companies with the right tools to continue their own development or to acquire the right procurement skills.

Companies that have previously worked with pilot cases together with the university have expressed that through the project they have gained a positive view of collaboration with the university and an understanding of how they can, for example, get concrete help with business development

Mobergarna is a company based in Kalmar that specializes in producing cookies and meringues under other brands. As part of the project, the company explored the possibility of using sensors to measure temperature and humidity at different locations in both production and storage. The aim was to improve control over conditions and thereby ensure high quality.

Re:Mine is a research-based spin-out from LNU that develops a process to recover magnesium from mining and industrial waste. Together with Re:Mine, we focused on building a control system for recycling mining waste. The system collected data from a set of sensors and regulated the feeding process to improve efficiency and sustainability.

Together with the research-based company Sport Appeal, this pilot case focused on developing a system for measuring strength using the Isometric Mid-Thigh Pull (IMTP) exercise. A load cell sensor was used to capture the force exerted during the pull. This data was then processed by a microcontroller, transmitted wirelessly, stored securely in a database, and finally accessed and visualized by users through a web or mobile application.

Tyrolen is a unique folk park and event venue that hosts a wide range of activities, such as dances, car meets, festivals, markets, and concerts. In the pilot case, we explored how sensor technology could be used to measure the water level in one of the wells as well as the temperature in selected refrigerators. The aim was to give the organization a better overview and make follow-up easier.

PetwellTech is a start-up company that wants to develop sensor technology to monitor the health of pets. In this pilot case, we have investigated how sensors can be used to detect acetone in the air, in order to be able to take further steps if possible. This case turned out to contain many challenges, but through collaboration between researchers, students and the company, we have explored different possibilities.

SensIoT creates sustainable and profitable business solutions using IoT, programming and communication. Their digital platform Swill simplifies the measurement, categorization and reporting of food waste. Together with SensIoT, Wexiödisk and Jemac, we have explored a solution that makes it possible to also include the number of people who, for example, ate lunch. The aim is to further develop the platform and provide even better data for analyzing and reducing food waste.

Together with the company AmiLu, we have explored a specific component within the framework of a larger product. The focus has been on analyzing different traceable devices and evaluating parameters such as charging, battery life and the possibility of real-time updates.

Thomas Karlsson, owner of Skoex, has developed a security post that is used to block doors in the event of, for example, PDV attacks (ongoing deadly violence). To ensure that the post is always in the right place, he has, together with some of our students, investigated different technical solutions to be able to send a signal if the post is moved.

Getnö – Lake Åsnen Resort is a camping site located in the middle of Lake Åsnen, offering camping, conferences, team building, and nature experiences. As part of the pilot case, we have connected electricity meters in their cabins, enabling billing based on individual electricity consumption. This is to streamline the management of energy costs and consumption tracking.

Hasselö Skärgårdsupplevelse encompasses several businesses on the island of Hasselö in the Västervik archipelago. In the pilot case, we have installed sensors to measure water temperature so that bathers know the swimming temperature. We have also improved the monitoring of their refrigerators and freezers, so the business owner is alerted if the temperature becomes too high. This way, they can avoid food spoilage.

Neurawave is a startup company developing an app-controlled solution to treat and prevent migraines. The collaboration has focused on developing a pilot version of the hardware included in their product. Together, we have worked to ensure that the version contributes to further steps in the development of a finished product.

Radicair is developing a fan that can regulate radon levels in indoor air. Within the project, we have implemented a concept version of an IoT system that connects the fan to other sensors, enabling automatic and dynamic control of the ventilation system.

Stufvenäs Gästgifveri offers hotel, spa, and nature experiences. They have created a new path to the Stufvenäs oak and have now installed a visitor counter to map how often the path is used and at what times.

Stenugnsbageriet Olof is a bakery on Öland. They wanted to find sensors to ensure that their refrigerators and freezers are properly closed. Within the framework of the pilot case, we have also looked at the possibility of scheduling the oven to start every morning and formulating a request for new functions for the existing cash register system.

Jemac works with the entirety of "a thing" that one wants to connect for various reasons. They have a collaboration with a company that manufactures soundproof pods for places like airports and offices. Together with the IoT team, they have explored which sensors can be used to measure in and around the pods to, for example, measure air quality, temperature, sound volume, and how the pod is used.

Elektroverkstaden provides water pumps placed in hard-to-reach locations. Currently, they regularly inspect them because it is impossible to know if they need maintenance without being on-site. During the pilot case, we have investigated the possibility of using sensors to know when maintenance is needed and how to send data from the sensors.

Novacore manufactures various types of packaging. Some packaging is made of paper and cardboard, which can easily be damaged if stored in the wrong conditions, so the pilot case has focused on measuring the climate in their storage facilities.

ETEC runs technology education programs and already has an ecosystem of various sensors. What they wanted support with was sorting and visualizing the data collected from the sensors in an accessible and appropriate way.

C3C is a company that manufactures concrete blocks of various sizes at different locations around Sweden. These blocks are used, among other things, as retaining walls, material pockets, and storage buildings in the recycling industry. Their project has focused on exploring how IoT and sensors can be used to improve the storage and handling of biofuels.

Astrid Lindgrens Värld has installed sensors to measure temperature and humidity in their cabins. One of the goals was to create a visual presentation of data from the cabins so that the reception could observe if, for example, ventilation is needed in a cabin or if the temperature is too high/low.

Ölands köksmejeri works with cheese production. The pilot case has involved looking at sensors that can contribute to planning pasteurization during periods of low costs, programming various cheese recipes, and alarms in the pot that monitor important values such as temperature, time, and pH.

The owner of Kallskänken and several other restaurants wanted a better overview and understanding of their restaurants. The pilot case has explored the use of LoRaWAN networks and sensors. The goal has been to measure temperature, humidity, the number of visitors, and monitor noise levels in various restaurant premises.

Stens Chark AB produces charcuterie products, and during its pilot case, the lab helped the company implement IoT sensors to measure temperatures and humidity in charcuterie production, which contributed to optimizing processes and reducing quality problems and food waste.

Honestbox AB helps businesses with solutions for both unmanned stores and those who want to start hybrid stores. The lab supported the company in developing the next generation of hardware for unmanned stores by identifying suitable firmware updates and creating resilient connections with multiple communication protocols.

Flowbic AB supports other companies in their work with digital solutions. The lab supported them in developing hardware, sensors, and network technology related to IoT solutions and explored new opportunities in collaboration with biologists at Linnaeus University.

Svenska Våg AB belongs to the cutting edge of the scale industry and works with everything from weighing, scale components to advanced scale systems. The lab worked on connecting existing scale systems to the internet, which enabled the company to offer new IoT-based solutions to improve productivity and reduce operating costs.

PM & Vänner is a hotel with a gastronomic restaurant that wanted to work on reducing food waste. They had a system for registering food waste, but it was cumbersome, which contributed to employees not using it. The lab supported the company in developing a connected and digitized process for measuring food waste, which contributed to optimizing operations and achieving the company's environmental goals.

Beelab AB works to facilitate beekeeping with the help of technology. The lab supported Beelab in developing battery-powered, energy-efficient systems, which reduced energy consumption and enabled a product that can function wirelessly.

QTF Sweden AB works with degassing and purifying system fluid in energy systems. During its time as a pilot case, they received support in developing communication and measurement for existing equipment in HVAC systems by implementing IoT technology and finding the right communication and hardware. This contributed to their maintenance work being carried out based on needs instead of within various time frames.

Aquateq AB wanted to investigate the possibility of having a connected nozzle to send data on pressure and flow in jet nozzles. In this case, the lab contributed by validating a product idea to see if it was worth investing in further.

TIVA develops technical products related to water and environmental monitoring, including fish counting. The lab helped TIVA develop a solar-powered, energy-efficient IoT sensor to measure water levels and provide advice on communication protocols and hardware, resulting in a successful prototype for further development.

Adductor AB has extensive experience in industrial electronics and programming and helps its customers with various maintenance systems. The lab supported Adductor in developing a new wireless LoRaWAN-based product and integrating it into their existing codebase, which contributed to improving their customers' experience and offering a stronger solution for industrial machines.

Alaiw Solutions AB develops and sells digital and physical products in the health sector. The lab supported the company in developing a prototype for a smart connected walker for the elderly. They looked at both hardware and software, which contributed to validating the company's product idea and facilitating further development.

Eventcenter runs a business where part of the concept is various activity rooms. The lab helped them perform systematic tests on several sensors and find a solution to improve the experience in the Twister room, which previously had technical problems with existing sensors.

Job out is part of the company Burde, which focuses on offering products for a better work environment. They wanted to develop a first prototype for connected sit-stand mats to measure how much staff sit or stand during working hours.

Pure Bio Synergy (PBS) received support in developing a smart gateway that communicates with the internet for both measuring and controlling their unique ozone generator for water purification, which contributed to creating an adaptable and connected product.

Böda Sand is a camping site on Öland that, with the help of the lab, expanded its IoT network. They also received support in choosing hardware and integrating it with their own systems to digitize and measure how people move in their areas. They also chose to connect several weather stations to get local weather data.