In May 2018, Yokogawa Electric Corporation announced the launch of amnimo Inc., a business unit that will be tasked with identifying, developing, and offering services that can add value by leveraging the industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) architecture which is currently under development by Yokogawa.
amnimo Inc. aims to identify, develop, and deliver IIoT architecture-based solutions which is one of the measures that Yokogawa is taking under its new Transformation 2020 mid-term business plan.
The plan enables customers to achieve a transformation in their businesses. By simplifying their business processes, the companies will be able to speed up decision making and respond promptly to swift changes in the market environment.
Also, it is expected that this company will be able to build strong relationships with customers and partner companies in various fields by working closely with them to co-create IIoT technology solutions that deliver new forms of value.
And amnimo, Inc. has been making strides in their effort to achieve what they are set out to do.
Recently, here in Malaysia, amnimo and its local partner TK International Sdn. Bhd., an IT solutions provider in Malaysia, have packaged and rolled out a suite of features necessary from installation to operation of the Industrial Internet of Things (Industrial IoT).
The two companies begun offering the package in Malaysia on November 7th, 2019, as amnimo sense beta (“amnimo sense”), an IoT service for the industry available in installments from as little as one month, that allows for ease of use and implementation.
The partners aim to make amnimo sense a service that is constantly improved and advanced in collaboration with customers.
IoT is a framework for the exchange of information among a wide range of objects by connecting them to servers and cloud services over a network. In recent years, companies and organizations in a broad array of industries and business models have made rapid strides in the application and use of IoT.
However, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have made considerably less progress in IoT utilization than large companies, as they often lack the necessary IT specialists or resources to commit to major continuing investments in new businesses.
To solve these problems, amnimo sense, which is essentially a service that packages a suite of basic features necessary for using IoT, is now available in user-friendly installments of as little as one month. Rates for the service are determined by the context it is used.
As of now, the monthly fee is based on the number of endpoint devices and gateways selected by the user on the e-commerce website, the data traffic volume generated on the mobile network and the number of users.
For example, if 10 users operate 10 measurement points (endpoint devices) and one gateway on a single 100MB connection, the monthly fee is US$305 per month (tax included), provided the users supply the sensors themselves.
The advantage of amnimo sense is that it packages the features necessary to implement IoT from installation to operation, including data collection, communications, operation, monitoring, security and more in the basic service.
This comprehensive package makes amnimo sense easy to connect, use quickly and easily with no specialized knowledge.
To ensure security, each gateway of a customer who purchases amnimo sense is issued a unique digital certificate, which is installed at the factory before it is shipped.
After shipment, the digital certificate is issued automatically by a simple activation performed by the user, establishing safe data communications.
Basic Features of amnimo sense
Developed exclusively by amnimo, the endpoint devices (devices that input the analog data acquired from sensors and communicate it to the parent gateway device using the LoRa2 protocol; see photo) adopt an energy-saving design that enables them to continue acquiring data over extended periods of time.
This endpoint device, which consists of a communication module integrated with an I/O interface, is also a wireless communication protocol that covers a wide area with low power consumption (Low Power Wide Area (LPWA) that is used in IoT communication networks.
The gateway is a relay device that connects the endpoint devices with the amnimo cloud system.
Some potential users of amnimo sense may lack a specific idea of which devices to use to acquire data or how to apply the service.
For such users, amnimo has posted on its website a series of use cases for amnimo sense, listing the devices required and the sequence of steps to build the system for each. amnimo Inc calls these use cases “IoT recipes.”
The amnimo sense recipes can be found at https://amnimo.com/en/solution/recipe/. As of this date, amnimo has published the following 15 recipes.
- - Recipe for monitoring temperatures inside aquaculture freezers - Temperature sensors are used to gauge remotely the temperature inside a freezer.
- - Recipe for monitoring and recording temperatures for warming cabinets in the hospital - Temperature sensors are used to gauge remotely the temperature inside a hospital temperature-controlled storage facility that is subject to inspection.
- - Recipe for CO2 concentration management for greenhouse cultivation - This recipe can easily gauge declines in CO2 concentration inside a vinyl shed from a remote location.
- - Recipe for detecting uncomfortable conditions in buildings - This recipe enables easy control of HVAC to adjust CO2 levels inside a facility, preventing drowsiness and discomfort.
- - Recipe for monitoring operation of equipment (signal tower light) - Light sensors are installed on the stacked signal lights inside a factory, enabling operators to gauge the status of operation of machining and molding equipment. These devices can be installed without modifying existing equipment.
- - Recipe for monitoring operation of equipment (AC cable) - Alternating-current (AC) sensors are mounted on the power-supply cables of machining and molding equipment inside a factory, enabling operators to gauge the status of equipment operation. These devices can be installed without modifying existing equipment.
- - Recipe for visualization of parts inventory in plants - Weight sensors are used to gauge remaining parts stocks, providing a simple guide for timing the placement of parts orders.
- - Recipe for visualization remaining food and tableware for restaurants - This recipe visualizes remaining stocks of plates, etc. in a restaurant, providing a simple guide for timing the replenishment of materials.
- - Recipe for detection of intrusion into hazardous areas - Entry detection sensors are installed in hazardous areas. When entry is detected, a manager is notified.
- - Recipe for notification of door opening / closing - Opening and closing sensors are installed on doors, enabling remote detection of opening and closing of doors.
- - Recipe for oxygen concentration management in underground machine room - This recipe measures oxygen concentrations in underground workplaces, enabling remote monitoring of danger levels.
- - Recipe for monitoring electrical leakage from equipment (Ver.3.3)- This recipe notifies operators by e-mail alert when an electrical leak occurs, to prevent electrical shocks and other accidents.
The company also plans to continuously expand the list with the addition of further recipes.
Subscription to and use of amnimo sense is available from amnimo’s e-commerce website.
Service subscriptions are available at: https://support.amnimo.com
Moving forward, amnimo will continue to expand the service menu for amnimo sense, adding a wide range of new hardware such as devices and sensors as well as application programming interfaces (APIs: frameworks for sharing software features).
