What is the Internet of Things (IoT)?
The Internet of Things, or IoT, is a system of interrelated computer devices, physical objects with sensors, processing ability, software, and other technologies that have unique identification codes (UID). The IoT network involves machine-to-machine communication, device identification, and communication. Therefore, choosing the best wireless network based on IoT specifications is crucial.
IoT devices can transfer data over a network without requiring human-to-human or human-to-computer interaction. This may pose challenges with security, integration, processing capacity, scalability, and accessibility. To address these issues, a smart approach to managing IoT devices is necessary.
What are LoRa and LoRaWAN?
LoRa enables transmissions over very long distances (more than 10 km in rural areas) with low power consumption. It is a widely used technology for IoT networks worldwide. Thanks to LoRa technology, we can address some of the world's biggest challenges: energy management, reduction of natural resources, environmental protection, infrastructure efficiency, disaster management, and more.
However, LoRa's low bandwidth cannot be used for just any application. Due to limitations in the frequency range it uses, the protocol is not capable of continuous transmission.
LoRaWAN is a low-power, wide area networking protocol built on the LoRa radio modulation technique. It wirelessly connects devices to the Internet and manages communication between end-node devices and network gateways. Thus, LoRaWAN defines the communication protocol and system architecture for the network, while LoRa's physical layer enables long-distance communication connection, with the help of the gateway.
The gateway facilitates the transmission from an electrical device to the cloud, especially in environments where other types of networks are not feasible due to technical limitations.
What can you do with LoRa technology? What does Elektor offer? What accessories are available?
LoRa is an excellent choice for indoor use across a broad spectrum of applications, including smart cities, buildings, agriculture, metering, healthcare, and logistics. It is secure, bidirectional, low-power, and has a wide range.
Accessories help users optimize their IoT setups. Elektor offers a wide selection of components, including gateways, RFID readers, IoT shields, and various types of sensors (e.g., temperature, position, and humidity) to meet the diverse needs of a broad customer base.
The future of LoRa
LoRa will help lower the costs of creating IoT solutions and enable large-scale IoT applications. It is expected to play a key role as a communication network. For instance, it is anticipated to be used for a wide range of applications, such as numerous smart lighting systems, monitoring water usage, and industrial data monitoring and analysis.