Project: IoT-lab for SMEs – Sweden

Context

The Internet of Things (IoT) means that several devices are connected to the Internet. It is already a well-established concept and its existence is visible everywhere in society. In practice, this means that physical products are connected to the Internet and share data with each other in real time. IoT has become one of the technologies of the future that continues to grow and spread to more sectors. It is in this context that the project at Linnaeus University started. The aim of the project is to raise awareness of the potential of IoT among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Approach of the project

As part of the project, SMEs in the university region have been given the opportunity to participate. The participating companies have been offered a wide range of activities:

1. Inspiration

The project has organised various activities aimed at inspiring and informing companies about the opportunities offered by IoT. In addition, good examples have been presented of what has already been done in this area.

2. Upskilling activities

The project has provided a wide range of skills-enhancing activities:

• In-depth lectures and seminars

The interest in wanting to know more and gain in-depth knowledge without having to go a full course has emerged in dialogue with SMEs. The project has therefore offered lectures and workshops such as IoT hardware, commercialisation, ecosystems and business models, and how best to use collected data.

• Workshops

Learning new technologies is often about testing and testing different tools and equipment. The project has therefore offered half-days on a continuous basis, where companies were given the opportunity to learn the foundations and to test themselves. The aim is to improve understanding and to allow participants to gain in-depth knowledge of the opportunities offered by IoT.

• Open Lab Days

Sitting and lab and testing ideas together is both instructive and exciting for all involved. This is why the project has tested the concept of “Open Lab Days”. This means that the labs at Linnaeus University in Kalmar have been opened up to SMEs. The participants have come to the lab, brought their ideas or problem formulations and, together with researchers and students, have developed them further. Compared to the above-mentioned workshops, the Open Lab Days are more informal and businesses work more closely together with researchers and teachers.

3. Testing and developing SME ideas

Companies and project members have jointly explored potential IoT solutions and put forward concrete proposals.

IoT Lab project

The project has matched SMEs with students, researchers or IoT engineers at Linnaeus University. Together, the companies’ potential IoT solutions to advance the company’s business have been examined. Potential ideas have been jointly explored and concrete proposals developed. The project homepage provides information on all the pilot cases that the project has been working on.

• Stens chark AB, Åseda: A firm producing charcuterie products. The project concerned how to measure temperatures and humidity in production using IoT sensors, thus optimising and providing evidence to make favourable decisions.
• Honestbox AB, Ljungby: Unmanned shops. The project concerned the development of hardware, the testing of different solutions for software updates and the ability to have resilient connections operating across different communication protocols.
• Flowbic AB, Kalmar: A company involved in web development. During the project, the company was supported in the development of hardware, sensor selection and network technology. It also involved cooperation with biologists at Linnaeus University who needed measurement of a natural area outside Kalmar, Kalmar Dämme.
• Svenska Våg AB, Växjö: A company active in weighing and measuring, The project involved both supporting the company to develop and test existing weighing systems connected to the internet.
• PM Lake Vänner, Växjö: A restaurant. The project focused on measuring food waste and developing a process for connected and digitalised measurement.
• Aquateq AB, Kalmar: A company producing spray nozzles. The project focused on exploring the possibilities of producing a connected nozzle able to send aggregated data on pressure and flow.