IoT Deals and Partnerships: Samsung, Lockheed Martin, Renesas and More

From Samsung’s expanded 5G network deployment with Naver Cloud, to Renesas’ acquisition of Panthronics and Lockheed Martin’s collaboration with GlobalFoundries to boost U.S. semiconductor resilience, here are some of the latest deals and partnerships from the IoT industry.

Samsung, Naver Cloud Partner to Bring 5G Network at Construction Site

Samsung has announced the expansion of its collaboration with Naver Cloud, launching a private 5G network for Hoban Construction, a major Korean manufacturing company.  

The network is reportedly the first of its kind in the Korean construction sector, using 5G connectivity to improve worksite safety and efficiency.

New construction industry-specific 5G applications that will be utilized at the company’s worksite include drone-based monitoring, IoT concrete strength sensors, smart safety jackets equipped with gas detection sensors, and real-time wireless CCTV monitoring. 

“This collaboration with Samsung and Hoban Construction represents an exciting milestone in our efforts to bring 5G to various industries in Korea,” said Sang-young Han, Naver’s executive director of cloud strategy. “As Korea’s first private 5G common carrier, we are confident that the benefits of private 5G networks will be transformative for the entire construction sector, and we look forward to showcasing these benefits to the wider industry.”

“We are excited to partner with Samsung and Naver Cloud to deploy Korea’s first 5G private network in the construction sector,” said Kap Moon, Hoban Construction’s vice president of management. “We look forward to using this advanced technology to enhance safety at our worksites, improve construction workflow and provide workers with real-time data to allocate resources and deliver better outcomes for our projects.”

The announcement follows Samsung’s 2022 collaboration with Naver Cloud when the companies launched a private 5G network at Naver’s new headquarters to power autonomous mobile robots.

Lockheed Martin, GlobalFoundries Collaborate to Advance U.S. Semiconductor Industry

Lockheed Martin and GlobalFoundries (GF) have announced a strategic collaboration to improve the resilience of microelectronics, in a bid to strengthen domestic supply chains for national security systems.

The companies say the collaboration will allow Lockheed Martin to “more quickly and affordably produce secure solutions” to increase the competitiveness and national security of the U.S.

Under the partnership, the companies will explore current gaps in the U.S. semiconductor industry and boost national manufacturing capabilities. GF will provide its technology and manufacturing processes to improve microelectronics supply chain resilience.

“This major new partnership…ensure[s] that the chips used in the technology that keep our country and our troops safe are made right here in the Capital Region,” said U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer. “That means that more of the most complex, critical components we need to protect our national security going forward are going to be stamped ‘Made in New York’.” 

“Now more than ever, we need to secure our supply chains … GlobalFoundries and Lockheed Martin are leading the charge to ensure that we build America’s tech future here in Upstate NY.”

Credit: GlobalFoundries

Renesas to Acquire Panthronics

Renesas is set to acquire Panthronics, a semiconductor company specializing in high-performance wireless products.

The acquisition is hoped to boost Renesas’ portfolio of connectivity technology, enabling its expansion into high-demand near-field communication (NFC) applications in fintech, IoT, asset tracking, wireless charging and automotive applications.

“Connectivity has been a priority area of ours, expanding and differentiating the realm of solutions we offer,” said Hidetoshi Shibata, Renesas’ CEO. “We see tremendous opportunities for Panthronics’ NFC connectivity technology to benefit our customers in growing areas that span across fintech, IoT, and automotive spheres.”

Combining Panthronics’ NFC technology with Renesas’ portfolio in microcontrollers and microprocessors is hoped to enable the creation of ready-to-market NFC system solutions.

Renesas and Panthronics have already launched four joint designs of NFC system solutions to date. These include solutions catering to mPoS terminals, wireless charging, and wall box smart metering platforms. Several more systems for PoS, IoT, wireless charging, and mobile are in development.

Credit: Renesas

Nomoko Joins AWS, Microsoft and Meta on Overture Maps Foundation

3D data company Nomoko has joined the Overture Maps Foundation, a non-profit organization established to advance open and accessible map data.

It joins existing members Amazon Web Services (AWS), Meta, Microsoft and TomTom, to create interoperable, accessible 3D datasets, with Nomoko set to bring its 3D-modeling capabilities to the organization.

“With the addition of even more high-fidelity 3D mapping data, we are one step closer to unlocking the full potential of open, immersive and interactive mapping applications,” said Marc Prioleau, Overture Maps Foundation executive director. 

Nomoko’s 3D data technology captures high-resolution imagery and creates accurate digital environments, optimized for online use cases.

“The Overture Maps Foundation’s mission comes at an important time for the mapping and visualization technology community,” said Nilson Kufus, Nomoko’s CEO. “Together, we will work towards building an open and accessible 3D data framework that will fuel innovation in various domains, including AR/VR, urban planning, infrastructure, robotics and more.”

Powercast, Powermat Partner on One-Stop-Shop Wireless Powerhouse 

Powercast and Powermat have partnered to create a “wireless powerhouse,” creating short- and long-range wireless power designs optimized for different customer needs.

Powercast will bring its long-range over-the-air radio-frequency (RF) technology, and Powermat will bring its SmartInductive hybrid inductive/resonance technology. Both companies use rechargeable batteries or no batteries at all to eliminate battery e-waste and battery replacement hassles.

"The convenience of a one-stop-wireless-power-shop has not existed before," said Charles Goetz, Powercast CEO. "First, since our partnership covers the entire spectrum of wireless power, customers can ditch researching solutions themselves and relax knowing we'll recommend the best fit for them. Second, whether you're a start-up or Fortune 500, our productization team can help reduce costs and speed time to market."

"Our technology is embedded in 800 million smartphones and charging surfaces in 8 million cars, and in 40 million devices like robots, e-bikes, and IoT and medical devices,"  said Kfir Abuhatzira, Powermat's CEO. 

Primo1D, Decathlon Partner on Garment Tracking Technology 

Primo1D and Decathlon have partnered to bring asset tracking to the retail industry.

Integrating Primo1D’s e-thread technology into Decathlon garments, the pair have demonstrated the efficacy of using the tech to enable textile recycling and reuse of end-of-life garments. The e-thread uses Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) to provide an asset-tracking system that can be embedded into clothing. 

The study confirmed that the quality of the fabric tagged with Primo1D’s E-Thread complies with the standards of the textile industry after recycling, paving the way for its commercialization.

“The circular economic model is a major part of Decathlon's 2020-2026 transition plan, in which sustainability takes top priority. Our partnership will bring textile recycling to another level,” said Jérôme Lemay, RFID industrial director of Decathlon. “We are fully confident that embedded RFID technology will boost our sustainable business models, as part of our global digital strategy, and we are excited to work with Primo1D.”

"This major step positions our E-Thread RFID technology as a cornerstone of the circular economy in textile mass distribution," said Emmanuel Arène, Primo1D’s CEO. “We’ll keep collaborating with all stakeholders in the textile recycling ecosystem and provide a relevant solution to increase the use of more recycled raw material.”

Savant Systems Acquires POMCube

Savant Systems, a smart home and energy company, has acquired POMCube, a smart energy storage system (ESS) company with a pipeline of battery and clean energy solutions.

According to the companies, Savant will use the newly-acquired technology to enhance its current power system. 

"As part of our vision to create brighter lives and a more sustainable world, we're continually looking to improve energy efficiency and independence on the path to Net Zero," said Bob Madonna, Savant Systems’ CEO. "No home can be truly intelligent without smart power and by bolstering our energy technology portfolio we have taken another important step toward our goal of making every home smart."

"We're excited to become part of the Savant Systems family and join their renowned culture of tech innovation," said Andy Li, POMCube’s founder. "From day one we set out to speed up the energy transition with a state-of-the-art inverter and battery technology, and now as part of Savant we can broaden our reach to make a greater impact." 

Savant's platform allows for easy monitoring, control and automation of battery circuits, helping customers save on energy costs and emissions, and optimizing energy use to reduce grid dependence. 

Credit: Savant