IoT Product Roundup: IBM, Rockwell Automation, Nikon and More

From IBM’s generative AI-powered chatbot alongside Natwest to Rockwell Automation’s robotic solutions created in collaboration with Comau, here are some of the latest products from the world of IoT.

NatWest, IBM Bring Generative AI to Banking Chatbot

NatWest and IBM are collaborating to bring generative-AI capabilities to NatWest’s virtual assistant, Cora.

According to the partners, the initiative marks one of the first in the U.K. to use generative AI for a bank’s virtual assistant and comes as part of NatWest’s wider strategy to deploy “ethical AI” to improve customer experience.

IBM will provide its AI and data platform, Watsonx, to enable Cora’s upgrade and create what the companies call a “digital concierge,” dubbed Cora+. The new chatbot model is designed to provide more “accessible and human interaction” for customers looking for information on NatWest products and services.

The initiative comes as part of NatWest’s Digital X Strategy, established to leverage emerging technologies to improve operational efficiencies and stay ahead of the industry-wide shift to digitization.

Comau Showcases Integrated Robotics Solutions at Rockwell Automation Fair

Comau demonstrated its high-performance articulated robots and advanced vision systems at Rockwell Automation’s 32nd annual Automation Fair in November in Boston, Massachusetts.

The tech was integrated into Rockwell Automation’s unified robot control platform. Combined, the partners say the technologies allow companies to control one or multiple robots “via their existing PLC environment.”

“This both eliminates the need for a dedicated controller for every robot and allows operators to drive even the most seemingly complex applications with the same PLC running in other parts of the operation,” the companies said in a statement.

Visitors at Comau’s booth were able to see its automated picking system that autonomously recognizes, locates and grasps randomly placed objects. Leveraging its Racer5 and MI.RA/3D enhanced vision system, Comau’s material handling application can automatically and accurately detect and distinguish between various parts, picking them from anywhere in the cell. 

Comau and Rockwell Automation announced their collaboration in 2021 and, since then, have worked to leverage advanced robotics to help businesses maximize manufacturing efficiencies through unified robot control solutions. 

Nikon Selects Aeva to Power Next Generation of Industrial Metrology Inspection Products

Nikon has selected Aeva, a sensing and perception systems provider, to supply Nikon with its micron-precise LiDAR-on-Chip technology to power Nikon’s products for industrial metrology and quality control.

Building on the partners’ existing collaboration, the multi-year agreement integrates Aeva’s technology into Nikon’s Industrial Metrology and automated inspection product suite, intended for use across industries, including automotive, aerospace and renewable energy. 

Aeva’s start of production is targeted in late 2024, with Nikon product availability expected in 2025.

“This core perception technology opens new opportunities for our products thanks to Aeva's high accuracy and faster measurements,” said Tadashi Nakayama, CEO at Nikon Metrology NV. “We are pleased to move our collaboration with Aeva to the production phase to deliver best-in-class products to our customers in the automotive manufacturing, aerospace and energy industries.”

“Today’s production win marks a significant milestone for Aeva in the growing field of automated manufacturing,” said Soroush Salehian, Aeva’s CEO. “It validates that Aeva’s unique FMCW technology goes well beyond automated driving with a perception platform powering the next wave of automation.”

Infovista Provides Automated Assurance Solution to Italy’s Smart Meters

5G connectivity company Infovista has announced that Italgas, a major Italian utility, has selected its next-gen automated assurance solution, Ativa, to monitor smart meters across Italy.

Under the deployment, Italgas can now monitor over 8 million connected smart meters across the country. 

Ativa provides real-time visibility and control over Italgas’ IoT network, which the companies say work to “enhance service reliability, reduce costs” and allow Italgas to adhere to industry regulations.

Italgas estimates by using Ativa, it will achieve a more than 90% cost reduction through operational efficiencies such as minimizing field visits and improving network visibility.

“The increasing deployment of IoT devices in industrial and enterprise environments is creating assurance challenges such as monitoring and troubleshooting which are new for businesses for whom connectivity is not their core focus,” said Franco Messori, Infovista’s chief strategic officer. “Italgas is a perfect example – they have a nationwide network of millions of smart meters connected to their central system via public CSP networks. 

“We’re delighted to be working with this pioneering utility to support them with their digital transformation towards assuring an uninterrupted and reliable IoT network across Italy and beyond.”

Duality AI Expands Digital Twin Capabilities With FalconCloud

Duality AI, the company behind digital twin integration platform Falcon, has expanded its product suite to include FalconEditor and FalconCloud, described by the company as the “Google Docs of digital twin simulators.” 

The expanded platform integrates generative AI capabilities for “safe and efficient testing and training of revolutionary robotic systems.”

Previous versions of Duality’s Falcon suite were only accessible by select teams using high-performance hardware. With the latest expansion, the company is looking to lower barriers to adoption and “unlock powerful collaborative workflows.”  

With FalconEditor, customers can now use standard 3D techniques to create and modify simulation-ready digital twins and scenarios, while FalconCloud enables teams to access all features of FalconSim directly from their web browser. 

"The idea that simulation should only be used by siloed simulation experts is quickly becoming

outmoded," said Apurva Shah, Duality’s CEO. "With smart systems permeating all levels of modern work, we're already seeing digital twin simulation becoming necessary across the entire product life cycle.

"Integrating generative AI models was the logical next step to enabling the next generation of robotic systems. And with FalconCloud, exploring Embodied AI is now accessible to everyone as a free web-based application." 

In addition to these new features, FalconSim received several updates to improve virtual

sensors, including enhanced sensor rendering capabilities, collecting more granular sensor data and increasing multi-sensor system rendering speeds. 

Eclypsium Launches Guide to Supply Chain Security for Enterprise Infrastructure

Digital supply chain security company Eclypsium has launched what it says is the “industry’s first solution” that measures the risk of IT infrastructure, including laptops, desktops, servers, network equipment, IoT devices and software. 

Industry members and supply chain leaders can use the Eclypsium Guide to assess their exposure to new supply chain cybersecurity incidents.

“Digital supply chain security is a board-level concern for many organizations, and there is an urgent need to provide a central repository for organizations to assess IT product risk,” said Yuriy Bulygin, Eclypsium’s CEO. “Eclypsium is able to provide this supply chain intelligence because we have the deepest and broadest library of third-party hardware, firmware, and software component risk data.”

The Eclypsium Guide will equip IT, security, and procurement teams to track supply chain risks and incidents and see if products that they use or are considering purchasing are affected. 

Verified software vendors include Dell, HP, Lenovo, HPE, Cisco, Intel, AMD and NVIDIA, among others.

Parallel Wireless Set to Roll Out Modern Networks to National Operator in East Africa

Parallel Wireless, a U.S.-based cellular network technology provider will be deploying 2G and 4G networks for large national operators across nations in East Africa.

Parallel Wireless was awarded several projects to build sites across rural Africa, supporting 2G and 4G connectivity with the view to upgrade to 5G infrastructure in the future.

The deal includes full delivery and deployment of end-to-end network solutions, including tower, power, transmission and Radio Access Network (RAN). It will focus on rural and suburban areas, delivering network connectivity as part of the Universal Communications Service Access Fund (UCSAF) in East Africa, a government initiative aimed at bridging the digital divide in the region. 

“As a field-proven preferred cellular network technology partner, we look forward to connecting people across East Africa with cellular coverage in the rural and suburban African market,” said Yisrael Nov, Parallel Wireless’ executive vice president of sales. “The deployment of 2G and 4G networks will enable operators to provide efficient technology in areas with low population density.”

Jersey Telecom, Honey Badger Release Passwordless Tech, Silent Authentication+ 

Jersey Telecom (JT Group), in collaboration with anti-fraud specialist Honey Badger, has announced the launch of Silent Authentication+, a passwordless technology that the companies say could “redefine” how individuals access password-protected services.

Silent Authentication+ leverages the same cryptographic technology employed by mobile networks to authenticate calls and data sessions.

"The launch of Silent Authentication+ represents a fundamental shift in how we approach customer authentication,” said Tom Noel, JT Group’s chief product officer. “Its speed, security and simplicity will change our interaction with password-protected services. Despite big technological advances and greater levels of awareness, passwords, systems access and user data are still susceptible to social engineering and fraud. Silent Authentication+ is completely immune to such measures.’’

Silent Authentication+ comes with additional security measures including in-built fraud detection, making it a turnkey solution for user logins, payment authentications and account recovery.

"Silent Authentication+ focuses on improving customer experiences by removing authentication barriers while maintaining and even enhancing security,” said Peter Stok, head of JT’s Fraud Protection Strategy. “By working together, combining Honey Badger’s innovation and JT’s global expertise in telecoms, we’ve developed a solution that recognizes the crucial balance between security and user experience."