Silicon Labs
|
Silicon Labs Community Silicon Labs Community
  • Products
    1. 8-bit MCU
    2. 32-bit MCU
    3. Bluetooth
    4. Proprietary
    5. Wi-Fi
    6. Zigbee & Thread
    7. Z-Wave
    8. Interface
    9. Isolation
    10. Power
    11. Sensors
    12. Timing
  • Development Tools
    1. Simplicity Studio
    2. Third Party Tools
  • Expert's Corner
    1. Announcements
    2. Blog
    3. General Interest
    4. Projects
How to Buy
English
  • English
  • 简体中文
  • 日本語
//
Community // Blog

Easing the Impact of COVID-19 with IoT Technology

05/122/2020 | 06:11 PM
Asem Elshimi
Employee

Level 3


Within the span of a few months, the rapid spread of COVID-19 has upended lives, businesses, and economies everywhere. Suddenly the health and safety of our families, friends, and communities have become our top priority. The threat of COVID-19 hits both close to home and worldwide. And tackling this unprecedented challenge will require our collective efforts and ingenuity on a global scale.

Looking back in history at past pandemics, from the century-old Spanish flu to the more recent 2009 swine flu, we immediately see the major advantage we’ve gained over the past four decades: access to advanced technology.

Vast amounts of information stream around the globe every second in the form of ones and zeroes passing through countless solid-state transistors, fiber cables and wirelessly through the air. Leveraging the incalculable power of the Internet, we are able to make data-driven decisions, share information and insight instantaneously and learn from each other as we take necessary precautions to protect ourselves from the spread of COVID-19. Simply put, we have more information technologies and tools available to address the COVID-19 pandemic challenge than we ever did in the past.

The World Health Organization’s pandemic declaration resulted in immediate “stay at home” and “work from home” policies in countries and communities around the globe. The pandemic is also showing us how technology can help in a crisis when we need it the most. At a time when we are choosing between risking our lives to keep economic wheels spinning or paralyzing our productive means to quarantine and stay safe, the Internet of Things (IoT) can provide a third favorable option.

Keeping the Factory Lights On

While VoIP software, streaming services, and information technologies are undoubtedly enabling productivity, connectivity, and entertainment during this crisis, the IoT is helping us as well. For example, from an industrial perspective, remotely controlling and monitoring factory equipment is analogous to video conferencing -- but at a higher level of connectivity.

In its simplest form, the IoT today can be used to track smart thermostat readings in an engineering lab, monitoring the temperature of equipment and machinery to prevent failures or faults during the absence of human operators. The IoT is also enabling smart cities by helping to sustain utility grids and guarantee that the public’s electricity, water, and gas requirements are met while avoiding the risk of sending technicians to the field unless necessary.

The Silicon Labs RF firmware team uses IoT technology to run regression testing on our wireless hardware with automated test benches. Reliable microcontrollers are managing newly developed SoCs to detect code or hardware issues. Without IoT connectivity, an engineer would need to visit the lab, potentially risking infection.

There is an abundance of other examples where engineers are using wireless embedded technology to keep the workflow going. The IoT, for example, is enabling remote design and testing from home. Yet, there is still room for improvement. For instance, testing new chips coming back from the foundry still requires a fair amount of hands-on labor, including soldering different electrical components to the board, going through several iterations to optimize the hardware design, and connecting the chip to different test benches.

Automating Essential Businesses

One of the biggest concerns during the pandemic is the availability of groceries, fresh produce, and basic consumer supplies. IoT smart shelves can enable a more efficient shopping experience and enhance health and safety for everyone. While it might sound like a trivial task, monitoring shelf inventories and price tags and informing customers on alternative products can put human lives at risk. Retail workers often put in long hours and must interact with shoppers at a time when we are required to practice social distancing. A more autonomous, smarter retail environment with electronic shelf label (ESL) technology helps ease the manual, in-person workload by using IoT technology to monitor and track products on the shelves.

Active monitoring of supplies and consumer consumption can help grocery stores keep their shelves full. For example, if retailers know the hours with peak demand for staples, they can plan to have ample supplies on the shelves during those times. These IoT-enabled approaches ultimately improve inventory management and stocking, which in turn helps reduce the panic effect that empty shelves have on customers.  

Maintaining Robust Internet Bandwidth

As people spend more time at home, their at-home lifestyles will evolve. Home is not only a place to relax after a long, hard day at work, it has become an office as well for many of us. Home comfort, convenience, and connectivity are at the heart of what the IoT can offer. Smart home sensors, connected lights, security cameras, and voice assistants help those of us working at homestay focused and productive, though they also serve as an important and entertaining distraction for people who are looking for DIY smart home projects around the house to enhance the day-to-day home living experiences.

None of these smart home technologies will function without powerful and uninterrupted broadband networks and wireless service, making Internet infrastructure technologies and 5G expansion crucial for the future. Timing technology (clocks and oscillators) is essential for high-performance 5G networks, which in the near future will provide enough bandwidth to enable a transformative mobile experience and truly autonomous vehicles. The COVID19 pandemic is showing us how much we have achieved in a matter of months, and how we can work together to remain productive and serve humanity. It is a reminder that we are on the right track, but we have a vital responsibility to remain committed to innovating to make the world a better and safer place.

However difficult and tragic, the pandemic provides an opportunity to enable our companies, industries, communities, and institutions to withstand such hardship and ensure we are better prepared in the future. We are all working as hard as possible to evolve technology while providing immediate and practical solutions to the challenges we all face during this pandemic.

The IoT provides us with many opportunities to innovate. While we all hope this crisis will end soon and we won’t have to deal with another pandemic in the future, imagine the possibilities that mature IoT technologies can enable for years to come. All we need to do is stay focused and committed to innovation and quality production of this remarkable connected technology.

  • Blog Posts
  • carlyle deligny

    Level 3


    Replied Jun 10 2020, 3:48 AM

    Great article !

    Indeed, IoT and mature technologies are essential and help us solve a lots of problems nowadays. During Covid-19, We've seen a lot of using technology to help fight against the virus, stop the spreading the virus etc...

    I particularly really liked the initiative of creating autonomous disinfection robots using UV lights like this :

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGOyoT2itCM

    A disinfection robot for hospitals, offices that you can remotely control !

    I also particularly liked the initiative of numerous companies creating a safe distancing assistant to help coworkers respect social distancing while working like this one :

    https://www.iwavenology.com/blog/covid19-social-distancing-assistant

     

    Connected technology is amazing!

    0

Tags

  • Wireless
  • High Performance Jitter Attenuators
  • EFR32FG22 Series 2 SoCs
  • EFR32MG21 Series 2 SoCs
  • Security
  • Bluegiga Legacy Modules
  • Zigbee SDK
  • ZigBee and Thread
  • EFR32BG13 Series 1 Modules
  • Internet Infrastructure
  • Sensors
  • Wireless Xpress BGX13
  • Blue Gecko Bluetooth Low Energy SoCs
  • Z-Wave
  • Micrium OS
  • Blog Posts
  • Low Jitter Clock Generators
  • Bluetooth Classic
  • Makers
  • Flex SDK
  • Tips and Tricks
  • timing
  • Smart Cities
  • Smart Homes
  • IoT Heroes
  • Reviews
  • RAIL
  • Simplicity Studio
  • Tiny Gecko
  • EFR32MG22 Series 2 SoCs
  • Mighty Gecko SoCs
  • Timing
  • Temperature Sensors
  • Blue Gecko Bluetooth Low Energy Modules
  • Ultra Low Jitter Clock Generators
  • General Purpose Clock Generators
  • EFR32BG22 Series 2 SoCs
  • Industry 4.0
  • Giant Gecko
  • 32-bit MCUs
  • Bluetooth Low Energy
  • 32-bit MCU SDK
  • Gecko
  • Microcontrollers
  • Jitter Attenuators
  • EFR32BG21 Series 2 SoCs
  • News and Events
  • Industrial Automation
  • Wi-Fi
  • Bluetooth SDK
  • Community Spotlight
  • Clock Generators
  • Biometric Sensors
  • General Purpose Jitter Attenuators
  • Giant Gecko S1
  • WF200
  • Flex Gecko
  • Internet of Things
  • 8-bit MCUs
  • Wireless Jitter Attenuators
  • Isolation
  • Powered Devices
  • Power

Top Authors

  • Avatar image Siliconlabs
  • Avatar image Jackie Padgett
  • Avatar image Nari Shin
  • Avatar image lynchtron
  • Avatar image deirdrewalsh
  • Avatar image Lance Looper
  • Avatar image lethawicker

Archives

  • 2016 January
  • 2016 February
  • 2016 March
  • 2016 April
  • 2016 May
  • 2016 June
  • 2016 July
  • 2016 August
  • 2016 September
  • 2016 October
  • 2016 November
  • 2016 December
  • 2017 January
  • 2017 February
  • 2017 March
  • 2017 April
  • 2017 May
  • 2017 June
  • 2017 July
  • 2017 August
  • 2017 September
  • 2017 October
  • 2017 November
  • 2017 December
  • 2018 January
  • 2018 February
  • 2018 March
  • 2018 April
  • 2018 May
  • 2018 June
  • 2018 July
  • 2018 August
  • 2018 September
  • 2018 October
  • 2018 November
  • 2018 December
  • 2019 January
  • 2019 February
  • 2019 March
  • 2019 April
  • 2019 May
  • 2019 June
  • 2019 July
  • 2019 August
  • 2019 September
  • 2019 October
  • 2019 November
  • 2019 December
  • 2020 January
  • 2020 February
  • 2020 March
  • 2020 April
  • 2020 May
  • 2020 June
  • 2020 July
  • 2020 August
  • 2020 September
  • 2020 October
  • 2020 November
  • 2020 December
  • 2021 January
Silicon Labs
Stay Connected With Us
Plug into the latest on Silicon Labs products, including product releases and resources, documentation updates, PCN notifications, upcoming events, and more.
  • About Us
  • Careers
  • Community
  • Contact Us
  • Corporate Responsibility
  • Privacy and Terms
  • Press Room
  • Investor Relations
  • Site Feedback
  • Cookies
Copyright © Silicon Laboratories. All rights reserved.
粤ICP备15107361号
Also of Interest:
  • Bring Your IoT Designs to Life with Smart,...
  • IoT Hero CoreTigo Drives New Wireless Standard...
  • A Guide to IoT Protocols at Works With...