Nimb selects Sierra Wireless Ready-to-Connect modules to transform personal safety wearables
Leo Bereschansky of Nimb
Sierra Wireless, the provider of fully integrated device-to-cloud solutions for the Internet of Things (IoT), announced that Nimb has selected Sierra Wireless’ Ready-to-Connect cellular modules for its smart safety ring,designed to alert emergency contacts when the ring’s wearer presses the hidden panic button.
Ready-to-Connect delivers all of the key elements needed for this IoT application in a compact 15 x 18 mm package, including LPWA module, GNSS, Smart SIM with global coverage and cloud management services, in one integrated bundle.
After one of its founders was violently attacked, Nimb developed a smart ring with a concealed panic button that allows users to send an alert with their location to a list of emergency contacts, including first responders in the US and fellow Nimb ring wearers nearby. With one click and without drawing unwanted attention, the Nimb ring enables its wearer to call for help.
Using Sierra Wireless’ Ready-to-Connect solution, the Nimb ring is a stand-alone device that doesn’t need to be paired with another mobile device and can be used anywhere in the world on LTE-M and NB-IoT networks.
Leo Bereschansky, founder and CEO, Nimb, said: “Our goal was to create an easy-to-use wearable that keeps its user safe without needing to be paired with a mobile device. By designing the next generation of Nimb rings with Sierra Wireless’ Ready-to-Connect solution, we were able to develop a fully autonomous safety system that fits into our form factor budget and works anywhere in the world in many fewer months than planned.”
Using Ready-to-Connect modules simplified the development of Nimb’s safety ring by delivering all the elements they needed to deploy a global personal safety system.
The HL78 LPWA modules deliver best-in-class power performance, extending the Nimb ring’s battery life, while the operator-agnostic Smart SIMs make it easy for Nimb to deploy their solution globally. All SIM subscriptions and devices are managed end-to-end through a single interface using AirVantage IoT Platform.
Marc Overton, chief solutions officer, Sierra Wireless, said: “Nimb was looking for a low-power cellular solution that they could quickly and easily deploy, without having to integrate products and platforms from different vendors. Ready-to-Connect provided the security, connectivity and management platform, as well as the small form factor that Nimb needed to develop a reliable smart safety device.”
Research by analyst firm Frost & Sullivan found that many IoT deployments can take more than 18 months to move from concept to commercial launch. With Ready-to-Connect, companies can innovate in a third of the time, while also simplifying operations and reducing product and logistic costs by up to $500,000/year (€440,612).
Ready-to-Connect eliminates the need to manage different vendors and platforms, as well as the complex pairing of multiple components that can lead to security vulnerabilities.
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