There are many things that can trip companies up during IoT deployment projects: picking a connectivity protocol that lacks infrastructure in your region, trying to build a managed connectivity solution from scratch and struggling with the complexity involved, and underestimating the size of an IoT device fleet as it scales.
IoT devices are unique to consumer devices, for instance, in that they are typically deployed remotely in harsh environments, are difficult to access, and have long lifecycles. Designing these devices in such a way so they need to have firmware updates done manually or batteries replaced regularly defeats the purpose of the convenience and ease of use these devices are designed to bring.
Whatever the pain point, Digital Matter has adopted a ‘deploy once’ mentality that it believes will enable device fleets to operate from day one of deployment.
Design considerations
Digital Matter was established in 2000 in Johannesburg, South Africa, and specialises in providing battery-powered asset tracking solutions. Its portfolio of 2.5 million plus devices deployed across 130+ countries means it intimately understands the ingredients to success in asset tracking.
Asset tracking provides greater visibility into the lifecycle of an asset and has become increasingly important for businesses that view it as a means of ensuring assets reach their intended location safely, and gaining greater insights into their supply chain.
For instance, for delivery companies like FedEx and UPs, fitting vehicles in their fleet to continuously report their location can help with route optimisation.
According to figures provided by Grand View Research, the global asset tracking market is projected to reach $51.59 billion by 2030, driven by growing supply chain digitalisation and demands on operational efficiency.
“Today’s supply chains are increasingly global, complex, and vulnerable,” said Loïc Barancourt, CEO of Digital Matter in an exclusive interview with IoT Insider. “Delays, theft, compliance risks, and inefficiencies can ripple across entire operations.”
However, in order for companies to maximise the value of deploying battery-operated asset tracking, it depends on the project running smoothly.
“The total cost of deploying, maintaining, and replacing IoT devices can escalate quickly at scale, and many organisations underestimate the total cost of ownership,” said Barancourt. “Our ‘deploy once’ philosophy tackles this issue head-on by delivering devices with exceptionally long battery life and proven ruggedness that perform reliably throughout their entire lifecycle.”
This is beneficial for a few reasons, least of all because it allows companies to maximise their investments in IoT projects – something Barancourt warned was at risk of being “eroded” if businesses encountered issues such as frequent battery replacements and inconsistent performance across different geographies.
One way in which Digital Matter approaches its deploy once philosophy is by thinking intentionally about product design: “For example, our adaptive tracking technology automatically adjusts reporting based on asset movement. When a device is in motion, it increases update rates for granular reporting, and when stationary, the device enters a low-power sleep mode to conserve battery and reduces data usage until motion is detected.”
It also spends time on testing devices in real-world conditions to ensure they operate as expected and “perform for years without intervention”.
For harsh environments, durability is important. “Most of our devices are IP68-rated and feature overmoulding housings, which have been tried and tested to provide exceptional protection against moisture, dust, vibration, and impact … Power options are also deliberately chosen for reliability and temperature tolerance, using LTC or lithium batteries to support extended life and performance in extreme climates.”
Customer expectations have evolved
IoT increasingly being embedded into operations is influencing customers’ expectations. “Location data is no longer enough,” said Barancourt. “We are seeing that customers increasingly want richer insights into asset condition and usage. They’re also looking for value-added services on top, such as alerts, reports, and even predictive capabilities.”
Digital Matter has responded to this particular need in the form of its Device Manager, a Cloud-based device management platform which offers its customers control over their devices.
“Recent advancements in both connectivity and power management have been major growth drivers for battery-powered devices,” added Barancourt. “The rollout of LTE-M and NB-IoT was a huge door-opener, enabling scalable, low-power solutions that made it practical to deploy devices at scale.”
From a hardware perspective, Digital Matter has a continuous aim to make devices as small and compact as possible, as power-efficient as possible, and affordable as possible to open up new opportunities.
Although there has been news and excitement stirred by the advent of battery-free alternatives – like energy-harvesting devices that draw on sources of light or kinetic energy to power them – Barancourt said that he didn’t see these alternatives replacing battery-operated devices, “the commercials simply aren’t there yet,” he explained. “If the cost of deployment is too high, it won’t be practical at scale. GPS in particular is power hungry, so if a customer wants high accuracy and frequent location updates, there will be a trade-off with power consumption.”
Regardless of the final application, “the common denominator is the need for long battery life, minimal maintenance, and dependable performance, even when connectivity or accessibility can be challenging,” said Barancourt.
Putting into practice this ‘deploy once mentality’, making product design deliberate, and leaning on partners like Digital Matter will ultimately stand businesses in good stead for getting the most out of asset tracking.
“Customer expectations are moving from simply tracking to a need for intelligence that can drive efficiency, reduce costs, and improve business outcomes,” concluded Barancourt.
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